True Heroes (69 page)

His anger sounded like thundering claps from his voice:

“‘All Olympians were forewarned to leave the Great War,

where man will decide their conquering fate,

and yet the black stench of Hades,

burnt flesh and sorrow,

fills my nostrils from atop Ida.

He did betray my orders.

Point towards his portal

so I may close it forever.’

“Within the echo of Zeus’ booming words,

the Great Messenger of the Gods,

with wings upon each heel,

and Hera of Fortune

appeared before the angered God in humbled poses.

The Queen of Gods did try to calm her husband:

“‘To what flame,

though high and fiery it must be to tempt your temper,

should we Gods point our dousing words?’

“The Golden King bellowed:

“‘To the same flame that bore me a troublesome brother!

No word of Hades’ release has reached me?’

“Hermes of the Golden-winged shoes did defend:

“‘Your inflamed brother, swiftly and rightly imprisoned after the Titan fall,

reached no ocean or land of Earth,

but my deliveries between the three great realms

may have brought wind of some brotherly-bond

to fulfill some pact from the underworld.’

“The Golden-armored God stood straight

and stepped forward with his voice rising:

“‘To another troublesome brother do you speak?

The Earth-mover? Tell me straight, messenger,

or the clouds of Olympus will clash upon you.’

“The meager messenger cowered, but remained true in voice:

“‘It is only what my ears have heard.’

“So the infuriated King struck;

a mighty bolt of yellow lightning bent from his hand

and pierced the clouds above the plains of land.

Where the mighty Poseidon sat,

his throne made of the salt and coral of the sea,

the furious lightning struck, frightening the Water King from his seat.

To Olympus did he fly

with anger and fury

when the source of such a blast was known,

and to the mighty source did he growl:

“‘Great Bolt-bearer,

the reason must be high and mind be swift to infuriate

to strike such a godly strike against my sanctuary.’

“While Zeus shined gold, he held his unwavering voice high:

“‘No greater an offense than what traitorous, villainous acts

my ears have caught your conjure enacting!

Is our trapped brother planning his great escape?

His promises to you, of rule and splendor,

would they bring you to a higher cloud than now?’

“The Sea-Bearer laughed boisterously:

“‘My Great King, do your immortal lungs some favor and allow them a rest,

for their echo is not needed

where there is no threat.

Our brother, the Lord of Styx himself, whispered to me from beneath his bars,

which I have kept strong and safe,

that he has to settle a mortal dispute.

Your highness was watchful upon Ida

as the small favor occurred.

He gave a folded parchment no bigger than your smallest crest,

and I swore upon our brotherhood to deliver the parcel.’

“The Golden King huffed, retracting his form and volume while speaking:

“‘Such a small favor would open your dams of compassion,

to which Hades would fill Styx and Tartarus with your form alone.

Dangerous though it may be for you,

kindness amongst family deserves no reproach.’

“The Great Sea-God mocked:

“‘Am I not a brother to you?

Do you show me kindness, or strike a bolt into my throne?’

“Zeus, King of the Gods, would hear no more:

“‘Back to your depths, Earth-Shaker,

before my wrath would find the Earth of little concern.’

“Poseidon did recoil to his lair while Zeus raged on:

“‘To my company of glowing brethren: I search for an all-knowing answer.

This claw which does latch to my hands and make them heavy

brings my knees to the ground and snaps my will.

As we have no need for the hearts of man,

my love seems to leave on spread wings.

There is nothing holding such a beat within my great body.’

“Aphrodite, hearing the word of love,

did fly to Zeus’ feet and spoke

in nothing but the sweetest of lyrical tones:

“‘To the great Father of Gods the heart of man used to feel trite

as their size was easily fractured beneath a light stomp of a satyr’s hoof,

but now, the smell of Zelus wafts to your high cloud.’

“The Golden King was not offended and spoke with longing:

“‘Perhaps not the lesser God,

but I do wish man and Achilles and Hektor,

though below he be now,

would show meaning for my grace with a feat unstoppable from human hand.

To be shown the bridge over the chasm between spirit and action,

and then perhaps my love would be ever-lasting,

my mercy unstretched as I would know the capable limits of man.’

“The Queen of Gods offered a hand to her husband’s broad shoulder

and spoke soft words to his bent ear:

“‘Dear husband, to your growing sorrow I offer a spike,

as the air within may overwhelm and consume even the King of Gods.

Achilles was built and born for war;

Hektor was for leading deathly harbingers until his own departure;

to what other men would greatness such as there’s abide the flesh?’

“Zeus sat upon his throne with a heavy sigh:

“‘I am to wonder, then, if any man possesses what the Fates do resist.

If these men were built thusly for war-like actions,

then let them destruct their own accords while I ponder mine.’

“Back in the deep Sea-Palace,

the Great Poseidon felt the constant beat

from far above

of oar against water,

and the massive wave crashed rhythmically

as if fifty men were behind the single pair of oars.

“He roared against the waves:

“‘Any nymph closest to my voice,

go above and find the men capable of such strength.’

“The closest nymph rushed forward with an answer quick from her tongue:

“‘The constant flap of watery wave against your castle

comes from one man within a tiny boat, my lord.’

“The Earth-Shaker, disbelieving, mocked his servant:

“‘Your senses have dulled from your journeys to your son’s side.’

“The nymph Thetis responded with a plea:

“‘I would travel there more if you would but let me.’

“The bender of waves thought aloud with bold speech:

“‘Zeus did lay the law upon the Olympians,

that men will fight amongst themselves,

but servants were not banned.

Go, watch the fall of the Citadel from the shoreline,

if only to find yourself relieved.’

“The Mother of Achilles prostrated herself before the great god:

“‘Thank you, Lord of the Seas,

but the waves that still crash beside your fortress

did come from one man,

and his great steps across your Earth,

may echo even more deeply.’

“Above the fleeting Nymph,

the man named Kaneis treaded lightly

with only a dented sword and a loaf of bread tied around his waist.

His clothes,

having barely survived the journey from Trojan shores,

had lost even the deep color of the Aneaid nation.

They hung with porous will from his shoulder,

revealing his tight and reddened skin.

The salt within his tangled bear added such a weight to his face;

the face that had so kindly greeted injured and sick

had all but hardened from the winds

into one of constant stillness.

“While Apollo moved the golden orb across the sky,

the Man with Nothing strode across the dirt split in the vast green fields.

He continued into the horizon until the tip of Olympus,

shrouded by cloud,

could be traced,

and the village of worshippers,

a common ground for the most loyal of servants,

could be found at the base.

“Kaneis basked in the mighty mountain as he approached,

finding himself tangled in the low structures of the village

as his neck craned up.

“The mighty voice Zeus bestowed within Kaneis let loose as he found the village center:

“‘Great settlers of Oloosson: share with me the secrets of Mount Olympus.

Can entrance be achieved?’

“A hunched man,

grey surrounding his face as age had his body,

spoke from foggy lungs:

“‘You would never reach the Olympians, traveler.

To even attempt would be to seal your casket

without coin.

The Boatman would never ferry you,

but Tartarus would conceal you for all time.’

“The salt along the lines of Kaneis’ face broke with disbelief:

“‘You must speak of another God,

most wrathful within the power around him,

as Zeus would never tear the soul from a man to plant it in ungrowing soil.

Living so close to the monument of our land,

and being aged with the grace of the passing sun,

you yourself must have evidence of the kindness of Zeus.’

“The older man walked slowly away

with no haste left in his legs,

and forced more words from his mouth:

“‘Perhaps the King of Gods is as worn on time as I am.’

“Kaneis, with a snap of his bread to be eaten,

spoke on:

“‘I pray you will look into the journey and return,

for the path up Olympus must be braved.’

“The older man laughed loudly and spoke:

“‘Your soul must be longing for the basement of Hades indeed!’

“Kaneis shouted loud before taking a subtle bite of bread:

“‘It was not of my choosing!

Another needs me to brave whatever punishment Zeus would seek!’

“The Man from Nowhere ate hastily and,

as he slept against a stone that night,

the old man found wings beneath his tunic,