The God of Olympus Read online

  All Hercules could see was the back of her head. It took Meg all of her strength to shake her head. “No,” she mumbled as she looked up into his eyes. “I do not.” She knew that this was the only way to save Hercules.

  Hercules looked shocked. He felt inside of his soul that she loved him greatly.

  Hercules turned and moved away from Meg. He now felt inside of himself a great sorrow. As he trudged away Meg began to secretly cry.

  Hercules went out into the garden. He knew he couldn’t belabor the point any longer. He knew now that she did not feel the same way about him. Hercules moved ever slowly back towards Pegasus. Pegasus looked up cheerfully at Hercules, as he held an apple in his mouth for Hercules to eat, but Hercules looked woefully down at Pegasus and did not take the apple. Pegasus looked sad and dropped the apple. He tried to comfort Hercules but it seemed no use.

  Hercules sat up against a tree and looked up into the sky, a sky that was now continuing to fill with dark clouds. He then said to Pegasus, “I thought she loved me! I thought that I could rescue her, but I guess there are some people the hero cannot rescue. In a few moments we will finally leave this island Pegasus, to never return.”

  Hercules thought that Pegasus would be happy to finally leave, but he was not. It seemed that he had grown attached to the island just as he had grown attached to Meg.

  After Hercules left Meg there in the courtyard she took another drink from the fountain and stared down into its water. She saw herself emit a slightly brighter light. She saw her skin become slightly more smooth and colorful. She saw her hair become a little more smooth and sleek. But as she stared down into its waters she realized that the waters did not make her feel any better.

  She looked up into the sky and, for a moment saw only a portion of the sun. Meg ran away from the fountain and into the garden. Suddenly rain began pouring down, as if Meg’s own tears and sadness was the cause of it.

  Meg picked up a bright, beautiful red flower and watched as it turned a dark black and rotted away in her hands until it had completely died and was blown away by the wind. It was then that Meg realized that perhaps love was not a weakness, but a strength. She began to realize what her life would be without love—fruitless and vain. She realized that every deal every mortal had ever done with Hades only made them more and more miserable. She could envision herself, should she remain on the garden of Alcinous forever, shriveling up and dying just like the flower she held in her hand.

  In that garden Meg watched as her garden, her lush garden began to slowly turn die, as if the rain, and in the end her own sadness, was the cause of the dying garden. The leaves of the trees began to shrivel up and die. She knew what this meant. This meant that the time of Hercules’ fall would soon be at hand. Her entire white dress turned a crimson red. Birds no longer chirped cheerfully, but seemed as dark crows, flying suspiciously and viciously above her. The trees, seemed to shrink and shiver, and turned a dark black.

  Then she began to sing a song:

  “Oh, woe that darkness does come upon this fair garden!

  Woe that the birds do not sing a cheerful song!

  Woe that the little animals do not move about in joy!

  Woe that the skies have darkened!

  Woe that the sun shows no sign of shining!

  Woe that I must be the devil, wearing a mask of light!

  Woe that I should be the messenger of evil!

  Woe that freedom would tempt me to betray good…”

  Suddenly her breathing became difficult for her as she imagined the sorrow that would come upon the world because of her deeds. She wobbled forward and leaned over against a tree.

  “But, alas, no more…”

  Suddenly her voice changed tone and acted much more cheerful. She lifted herself up and ran around the garden. Suddenly the rain seemed to stop.

  “No more will I meet the demands of this demon!

  No more will I work with that which binds me!

  No more will I forfeit great loss for that

  For light will come again!”

  Suddenly she began going around touching, everything, and watched as it lit up.

  “To me, should the power of Light be extended,

  Should the power of love, hope, and faith be placed into my hands,

  Should the power over death be given to me,

  Should I be given the power to choose good over evil,

  All would be set right again!”

  She suddenly seemed drawn to Hercules and rushed through the garden to find him. She knew that, although the sun was only halfway through the sky, she had little time to warn him of what may occur.

  She rushed through the garden and saw him on the very edge of it prepared to mount Pegasus and fly up into the sky. “Don’t go!” she said. “I am sorry Hercules! I do love you!”

  Hercules was surprised by this, but motioned for Pegasus to stay and walked towards Meg. “You mean that you lied about not loving me? But why?”

  Meg was near tears now. “You were right about me. I was afraid. So long ago I gave my heart to a man who didn’t give his heart to me and for so long I have been afraid to give away my heart again!”

  Hercules moved towards Meg, wrapped his arms around her waist, and stared deep into her eyes. Meg felt powerful feelings stir within her for this man. She felt drawn to him—her lips to his. She knew that a kiss would spell certain doom for Hercules, but before she knew it her lips had met his. There they kissed. Their kiss was not a hard kiss, but a soft kiss as each had succumbed to a weakness in their own hearts. The kiss was enough for each to know that they had feelings for each other, but nothing more, for Meg did not want Hercules to feel that he needed to stay.

  At first both Hercules and Meg thought that their kiss was a deception—a figment of their imagination. But, after a few moments, they each realized it was not. And in this moment they each knew another powerful truth—they each could not live being apart. After they stopped kissing they each clasped each other’s hand and looked into each other’s eyes.

  Then Meg took a few steps away from Hercules. “Hercules, I love you but you cannot stay. You must go and defeat Hades, while I remain here on this island. Hercules, you must know that there is one weakness that Hades has…” Meg spoke softer now, as if that would help Hades not hear. “Hades is, above all, proud and sometimes his pride makes him blind to deeper truth. Then he may be defeated.”

  Hercules thought that this was ridiculous, that he would have to leave now, after he knew she loved her. “But I cannot go…” mumbled Hercules.

  Meg pleaded for Hercules to go, but then they both heard a disturbing voice. The dark voice seemed to vibrate and echo all around them although there was nothing to make it vibrate and echo. Then a thick dark smoke crept over along the garden floor. Plants and trees began rotting around them. The little animals in garden around them suddenly scattered. Meg heard a rustling sound and looked behind her. There, standing with a large smile on his face, was Hades. He stood erect and looked quite relaxed and confident.

  Hades looked at Meg and Hercules and then strolled out into open garden with his staff in hand. Pegasus backed away into the nearby trees to hide. “My little lovers!” shouted Hades. “Stop now, for I come to make my deal good and true!”

  “What deal?”

  “Hades!” exclaimed Hercules. “What are you doing here? You said that I have three days on the island.”

  “And it has been three days since you have been on the island,” said Hades, as he looked at the sky, with the sun about half of the way through the sky. “Well, almost. But timeliness is everything, and all I ever said was that you had three days, not three complete days. And you failed.”

  Hercules sighed. He looked at Meg, who he expected would act as a great and powerful Goddess and cast Hades away from her presence. But he was surprised to see that she did not. Instead, she merely moved over to the tree and looked down towards the ground in shame.

  “How do you have power here?
” asked Hercules. “This is her garden and she is the God of this island! And do you not ask me how to defeat Meg…or do you already know how to defeat her?”

  “Do I know how to defeat her? I own her.” Hades suddenly snapped his fingers and Meg was almost completely bound by dark chains.

  “You own her? You never told me this before!”

  Hades smiled. “It must have slipped my mind.”

  “How can this be?” asked Hercules.

  “She lost herself a long time ago in a covenant of love, a love she had for a man, a man who betrayed her and left her to me,” said Hades. “Long ago it was she who sacrificed herself for the freedom and glory of another. That is why she shrunk away from you—because she did not want to betray you, did not want you to feel for her so. Hercules, she is lost to you, for she is mine!”

  “No, she cannot be lost!”

  “You must know by now why she must drink of the fountain every evening,” said Hades. “Because if she doesn’t she will turn back into a wraith and be forced to labor in my dark underworld for an eternity. She will never know true happiness again Hercules.” Hercules was truly sad. “That is why she turned away from you.”

  Hercules looked away and then spoke bold words to Hades. “There must be a way—a way that she can finally be free from you—a way she can have your old form and beauty.”

  “Yes, but the price will be very high,” said Hades. “The price for a soul so beautiful and as valuable as Meg will be something I don’t know if you can give. After all, you are a mere shepherd. But look, I am charitable and always am able to make deals. I will make you a new deal Hercules, a deal which will make you extremely happy. It is a very simple deal and a good deal for you. For the freedom of this wonderful soul all I require is that you lose the little God power you have within you. Surrender your powers, all your Godlike powers, and I will release Meg from my service.”

  Hercules looked confused. He looked down at Meg and then back towards Hades. “How can I do such thing?”

  “The ability of a mortal to transfer their life or power over to me takes the power of only a contract. But the ability of a God to surrender his God-power takes much more than that. You see, every thousand years there comes a storm, a certain storm that has terrible powers and has been feared by Gods from its existence. Why? Because the lightning from within this storm has the ability to make all Gods lose their God powers. Fortunately the storm will come tonight, on a certain part of the Greek mainland just before the sun sets. Hercules, if you go into that storm and willingly lose all your God power, then I will release Meg from my grasp. Your love will forever be free—free to be with you forever!” Hercules looked upon Meg, with tears beginning to stream down his face in seeing her bound by thick chains. “So what will it be Hercules? Meg would do this for you just as she gave her life for another man in the past. What will you do then? Do you not love her?” Hades grabbed Meg hard and hit her with his staff. She fell down to the ground, with blood beginning to stream down from her forehead.

  “Stop it!” yelled Hercules.

  In these moments, the moments before the deal was complete, it all made sense—why Hades had him go to this island. Hercules realized that he wanted him to fall in love so that he would give his powers, and in the end most likely his life, for that person. But somehow deep in his heart he now knew that this was what he was supposed to do. After all, he thought, what can a hero do when all others fail him? He knew that Philoctetes was wise, but not without weakness and frailty. He knew that Meg was also lovely, but not without her own weakness. Everyone in the world he knew had their own weakness.

  Hercules was then drawn to Philoctetes’ words, that only two people who made one God could defeat Hades and his evil. He knew alone that he could not defeat Hades and to let Meg live on as a wraith and fight Hades would be futile. Somehow he knew that the only solution now was to let himself die—to let him be taken by Hades and to let all manner of evil be done to him. He knew he needed to let all manner of injustice be done to him so that one day justice could be done to the world.

  “If I can only save one person then she is it,” said Hercules boldly to Hades. “Alas, she is the love of my life! Alas, she is the one to whom I will dedicate my life, for nothing could be worse than being apart from her. Very well! I will take your deal.”

  Hades seemed to jump with joy. “Excellent! Let us shake on it!”

  Hercules watched as Hades reached his hand towards his. Hercules didn’t want to even touch Hades, but knew he needed to, and shook his hand.

  After that Hades immediately spoke: “Great! Now Hercules, you must come with me with in my chariot, for that is the only way we may arrive on that island before nightfall. My dark horses are fast and will move even faster than your steed.” Hades looked over into the darkness at Pegasus, but didn’t seem to care about killing him now. “Know Hercules that if you do not go into that storm then I will kill a good friend of yours…” Hades backed up into the garden and showed Hercules his flying chariot and inside it was Philoctetes, surrounded by dark chains. “Philoctetes!” yelled Hercules.

  “Yes, just someone I happened to see on the roof of Pericles’ palace,” said Hades. “If you do not enter that storm Meg will be mine and Philoctetes will die! Now come! Enter into my chariot and my flying horses will take us there!”

  Hercules figured that Hades was using Philoctetes as a threat because he knew Meg was already dead, and hence he could not kill her. However, he could kill Philoctetes. Although Hercules was not intending on backing out of the deal anyway, it was Hades’ way of getting some insurance.

  Hercules did not speak to Hades now, but merely nodded and stepped into the back of Hades’ flying chariot. Hades then snapped his fingers and Meg suddenly flew back into the back seat of the chariot, still in chains. Hades then yelled for his dark, flying horses to propel his chariot upward.

  Meanwhile Pegasus looked upset that Hercules was leaving and wanted to follow. But Hercules held up his hand, motioning for him to stay. “Do not follow Pegasus! Do not follow!” Hercules did not want Pegasus to see what he would have to see should he follow him. Pegasus nodded his head, stood away on the grass, and then watched as the devilish chariot flew off into the distance.

  ******

  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.

  “It 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.