The God of Olympus (25 page)

             
In these moments Philoctetes was brought back to what he was thinking about while Meg was asleep: namely what was happening with Hercules and whether or not Hercules was alive, and whether or not the Great War had begun between Athens and Sparta.  Philoctetes knew that he was needed north.

“You may go south,” said Philoctetes.  “But I will go north.  I know more of the war between Athens and Sparta and must journey there, to help those who remain.”

              So there the two separated.  Meg went south while Philoctetes went north.  Meg knew that somehow she had to get to Hades’ underworld.  She could not bear to live without Hercules.  Of course, a part of her could not bear to see what Hades would do to Hercules.  This would altogether destroy her heart.  She knew of Hades’ evil and didn’t dare imagine, although she could, the evil things Hades would do to Hercules.  Then the terror would be inflicted upon the Greek world.

             
Meg traveled for several miles by foot that night through the terrain (what kind of terrain).  She was getting tired and traveling by night was no easy task, considering all the trees and rocks she had to wander through.  But she knew that there was no time to waste.

             
She knew of Hades and his evil and what things he could be doing to Hercules this very moment.  It took Meg several hours to walk to the southern tip of the island.  When she finally arrived the sun was rising, which finally brought light back to the world.  Meg’s clothing was ripped, dusty, and tattered when she finally collapsed on the beach.

             
She looked down and her skin was beginning to crack.  Her hair was beginning to tangle and shrivel up.  She was also physically getting much weaker.  She now remembered why.

             
She was supposed to drink of the water of the fountain every night, but it had been over a night since she last drank of it, and her energy was beginning to fade.  Her countenance was beginning to get much darker, and she began to look less and less beautiful.

             
She looked over the wide expanse of the sea and knew, like Philoctetes had said, she could not swim that distance.  That would be far too difficult.  No, instead she did the only thing she could think of doing.  She looked up towards the skies yelled loudly, “Gods, come to me!  I know that I am a mere mortal, but I come on behalf of Hercules, the son of Zeus and Hera!  Hercules is in dire need!”

             
She waited for a few moments, but didn’t hear or see anything.  Then suddenly she felt a rumbling beneath her feet and watched as, from the distance a great ship emerged.  The ship was larger than any ship Hades, or any Greek possessed.  It seemed very old, and it looked like it had been underwater, not above it, as algae, mold, sea plants, and even sea creatures like sponges and starfish were stuck to its surface.  The sail of the ship was black and it was torn in several places. Meg could see that the ship must have originally been entirely gold; at a few points the gold shined through the mold and sea plants.

             
Meg then watched as, from the depths of ocean Poseidon emerged, walking slowly towards her.  Poseidon was arrayed in a great green robe and had a bright gold trident in his left hand.  Then a ramp from the ship descended onto the shore and Meg watched as Apollo, Aphrodite, Athena, and Hermes came forth from the ship and stood behind Poseidon.  Poseidon appeared to be their leader and moved ahead of them to address Meg.

             
Meg seemed quite terrified.  “Do not fear,” said Poseidon.  “We have heard your call.  But why have you called?”

             
“It is in my humility and weakness that I call you!” yelled Meg.  “It is Hercules…he is in dire need.”

             
“Hercules…you speak of the Hercules, the son of Zeus and Hera?”

“Yes,” exclaimed Meg, with some hope in her voice.

“Bah, Hercules no longer may command us either, for he has forfeited his God power and is now a complete mortal,” said Poseidon.  “I am afraid that we will not come for him.  You see, we are leaving Greece.  For too long have the people of Greece fallen so easily to Hades’ enticements.  For too long has war reigned abroad.  As we have no great God to follow we are leaving to a more peaceful land.”

Poseidon
turned around and began walking away, when she suddenly collapsed on the ground.  “Please great Gods!  I cannot do this alone…it is because of me that Hercules is now mortal.  And I am mortal yes.  I am not a grand God, like Hercules was, or you are…but I am begging you as a poor unfortunate mortal…”

Poseidon
turned towards her, smiled, and moved towards her. “You are very devout and devoted, the most in fact, of any mortal we have ever seen…but we still cannot help you,” said Poseidon.  “We learned a long time ago to not interfere in the affairs of mortals.  If we obey your wish then, to be just, we would have to obey the wish of another mortal.  And we simply cannot do that.  Only a true God may command us!”

“Then at least take me to Hades’ underworld,” said Meg.  “I beg you…please…just take me there.”

“You wish to go to Hades’ underworld?” asked Poseidon.  “To rescue Hercules all by yourself?”

Meg nodded
enthusiastically.  “Very well, for your love and determination I shall do this for you,” said Poseidon.  “The island of Crete is not far from here.  I shall take you on my great ship!”

And so Megara entered the ship where she talked with the
Gods as they moved south towards Crete.

******

It is time to return to Philoctetes and his journey.  After Philoctetes separated from Meg he journeyed north, through the trees and rugged rocky terrain.  Philoctetes was getting weaker and had not had a drink of water for almost a day.  He looked down at Hercules’ sword that he held in his hand.  Every time he did he was reminded of how he failed Hercules.

The sun was rising when he arrived at the border of the sea.  He looked down and about a hundred feet down was the water.  “What I am to do now?”
said Philoctetes, as he stared up to the heavens.  “Am I doomed to be banished to yet another island?”

After Philoctetes said these words he saw a great flying white beast approach from the distance.  “It cannot be!” exclaimed Philoctetes with joy.  “Pegasus!”

Pegasus approached and landed on the cliff ledge.  He seemed happy to see Philoctetes alive and began licking him incessantly.  “Good boy!” exclaimed Philoctetes.  “Yes, I am alive!  And you are too!  But who sent you?  How did you know I was here?”

Pegasus lifted his head north, up towards the heavens.  He immediately knew who must have told him.  “Zeus and Hera!  The great
Gods have not abandoned us!”

Pegasus seemed to
have more to say.  Philoctetes knew that Pegasus was connected in a way with Hercules and thus most likely knew where Hercules was.  Pegasus lifted up his front hooves and at first pointed south towards the underworld.  Philoctetes had to guess.  “Hercules went to the underworld, yes, I know…but what next?”  He then made a line in the air north.  “Hercules is alive?”  Pegasus nodded.  “He was taken north?”  Pegasus leapt up with joy again as he flapped his massive wings.  “But where north?  To Sparta?”  Pegasus shook his head.  “To Corinth?”  Pegasus shook his head again.  “To Athens?”  This time Pegasus lifted his head up with joy.

Although before Philoctetes would have not riden Pegasus
, this time he was rather enthusiastic.  Pegasus lowered himself so Philoctetes could get on him.  “Then to Athens Pegasus!” declared Philoctetes.  “We must save Hercules!”  Pegasus then opened his wings and flew up in the air, towards Athens.

******

Throughout the day Meg was journeying on Poseidon’s great ship south.  This journey reminded her of the voyages she used to take while a part of the Greek military.  When she took these voyages, however, she had to make sure she was disguised, so that nobody would recognize her as a woman.

But this time she needed no disguise.  The journey south to the island would only take a few hours, the way this great ship was moving.  While Meg sat in the corner of the ship looking over the ship she was approached from behind by Apollo.
  Apollo had short curly brown hair and wore a white robe.  Apollo smiled and handed her a cup of fresh water from a golden goblet.  “You look thirsty.  Here is a drink.”

Meg thanked Apollo and took the drink.  “You look very troubled,” said Apollo.  “You must worry about Hercules.”

Meg nodded his head.  “It is my fault.  I betrayed him.”

“And yet you go after him, all the way to the worst hell on earth,” replied Apollo.  “These do not seem like the actions of a traitor.  You should know that all of us have things to mourn for.  Aphrodite there weeps for many of her friends.  Hades has taken many people, including
Gods.  Hephaestus, Ares, and Dionysus were lured away by Hades’ lust for power and they are now his servants.  We also lost many mortal friends, friends who we are now forced to abandon.”

“Why must you leave?” asked Meg.  “Why can you not stay and fight, fight against Hades and his great armies?  You are powerful
Gods, Gods that cannot die!”

“We do no
t fight because we cannot,” said a female voice from behind her.  Meg turned back and saw that it was Athena.  She had beautiful, long blonde hair and wore elegant golden covering.  “We are ordinary Gods.  Every one of us has our special abilities and powers, but we are not leaders.  For the Gods to fight in a war there must be a great God to lead them, a God that is more powerful than Apollo and I.”  Athena looked over at Poseidon, who stared off at the distant sea.  “Right now that person is Poseidon, but Poseidon will not lead us.”

“Why not?” asked Meg.

“Because Poseidon is still crippled by what happened to Zeus and Hera.  His love and admiration for these two great Gods lingers in his heart.  I doubt we will ever see Gods as great as Zeus and Hera.  Of course, with Zeus and Hera stuck on Mount Olympus, there is little chance now that Poseidon will lead us.  It will take a very great God to get Poseidon and, in turn, all of us, to go to war.”

Meg looked down towards the ground in sadness.  “Hercules is that man,” she said softly.  “With or without his powers Hercules is as much
a God as Zeus and Hera.  That is, after all, what Zeus and Hera created Hercules to do—to lead the good Gods in a war against Hades and his armies.”

Athena nodded.  “Yes, and if you succeed perhaps that may happen…”

Suddenly Hermes, who was hanging from the top timber of the boat made a loud call much like a bird.  Then he said, “The island of Crete approaches!”

Meg looked out over the sea and saw it
—the island of Crete, with its jagged cliffs and black rock.  There she saw the great gate of Hades’ abode open and she was pleased.  She would much rather enter Hades’ underworld through the main gate than have to go through the oculus right into Hades’ throne room.

Once the ship had arrived on the island, a ramp emerged that allowed Meg to walk onto the island.  Poseidon followed her until they both were at Hades’ gate.  She looked back at Poseidon and then into the dark abyss of the underworld.

“We cannot give you a ride back,” said Poseidon, “for we must be off now, through the sea to the eastern lands.”

Meg nodded.  “Very well.”  Meg turned the other way and began walked up the cliff towards Hades’ underworld.

Then Poseidon turned and said, “Oh and Meg.  Good luck.”

Meg thanked Poseidon and turned to face her next great trial.

******

The sun was about half-way up in the sky when Meg reached the opening to Hades underworld.  There Meg was to find a surprise.  She thought that the gate may perhaps be closed and she would have to use the oculus opening to get into the underworld.  But she found that this was not the case.

The gate was completely open, with both sides of the gate separated from the entrance and lying off to the side.  She peeked her head inside of the underworld, but saw no guards or anything.  So she continued moving into the dark abyss.

The entire cave was d
ark, but she was able to grab one of the torches that stood up on the side of the cave.  She picked it up and began moving farther and farther into the cave.

She moved cautiously at first, expecting to at least see something or someone, but she did not.  She looked around and saw broken and crumbled walls, as if some massive creature had broken them.  The arena was desolate.  The armory was vacant except for a few swords and shields.  Then she rushed up to Hades’ throne room, but again, she found it empty. 

She moved up towards Hades’ globe and there saw what Hades had viewed most recently.  Zoomed in was an image of Athens.  She began shifting the map and could see the desolation being brought upon all of Greece.  She could see Hades’ men getting off of their boats and preparing for their attack.  She could see Hades’ on his great dragon preparing for an assault on Athens.  But she could not see Hercules.  Her heart seethed within her and she took several steps away from the globe.  “Oh Hercules, I have failed you!  I was not here in time!”

You see, she now felt that Hades had killed Hercules. 
She felt a terrible feeling within her, as if she could never undo what evil she had caused.  She felt as if she would never experience happiness again.