The High Court

by Chris Ledbetter

“Poseidon,” Pontus’s baritone voice rumbled, “I, too think, it is great to have Amphitrite back, but take care not to lose focus.” He peered into the eyes of everyone. “Everyone would do well to heed our discussion this morning on leadership. You are all vying for captain. And though you may labor together in teams, only one of you can become captain.”

  “What’s the time frame, Coach?” Shade asked.

  “The retirement of the sun chariot,” Pontus replied matter-of-factly. “When you can no longer see evidence of Hyperion’s efforts from this vantage point.”

  “Actually, it’s Helios who guides the chariot now,” I said, rubbing the suddenly itchy skin on my forearms.

  “Wait … that long? Sundown?” Tia asked. “You must’ve hidden them well.”

  “Right you are, Zeus,” Pontus responded. “And Hestia … yes, I did.”

  “Pffft, I got this.” Meter stepped forward, placing her helmet snugly onto her head. “I can track footsteps better than anyone here.”

  Metis set her helmet atop her head in such a manner that it angled backward. The bottom rested just over her forehead. She side-eyed Meter. “Good luck with that. Trails grow cold. Strategy and competitive game theory are better guides. Think as your opponent does—in this case, Pontus.”

  “It’s a good thing I can’t read your mind right now, Coach,” Hera chuckled. “Guess I’ll just siphon knowledge off Metis.”

  “Siphon? Really?” Phi complained.

  “Did I say that?” Hera covered her mouth in faux shock. “I meant glean.”

  Shade raised his arms in the air to form an X over his head. “Are we gonna jack our jaws all day? I have a Hurler post to find.”

  Aphro wrapped her fingers around Shade’s bicep. “Mmmm, confidence is as sexy as a tight six-pack of abs. Shade, mind if I tag along with you?”

  Shade stammered over his words. “Uh-uhmm, sure. But, don’t slow me down or get in my way …” Shade glanced at Don and me, and then Hera. “I plan on winning this thing.”

  “Darlin’, I’d never dream of impeding you. I’ll even help you win.”

  Hera cleared her throat. “Said the spider to the fly …”

  Shade gazed into Aphro’s eyes like he wanted to speak … but didn’t.

  Hera rolled her head on her shoulders. “Damn, Shade.” She stuck her finger down her throat. “You’re gonna make me vomit. Coach, can we go now?”

  “Go!” Pontus snapped his wrist forward.

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  Shade shot off into the wilderness with Aphrodite in tow. I wondered how that new partnership would turn out. Don and Phi jogged off together. I could’ve seen that pairing a stadion away. They must’ve been plotting something. I considered who would’ve taken the credit if they’d have found it together, given their mutual ambition and competitiveness? In my peripheral vision, Hera rounded up Tia and Meter into a huddle. Hera, peeked over Tia’s shoulder at me, then ducked her head back below again. The plot thickened.

  Metis pulled my arm. “Guess I’m stuck with you again.”

  I half-chuckled. “Do I need to hold your spear for you?”

  She glared at me through slits. “No. I think I’m good. Thankyouverymuch. I can wield my spear quite deftly if you recall.”

  “Point made. Let’s go.” I noted the sun’s position in the sky as we trotted off toward The Thick area of the Caldron. Well-worn brown and gray trails cut through the lush green landscape, interrupted by rocks and raised tree roots. A bridge spanned the river ahead of us. “Last time we went that way,” I pointed, “and met with wolves. Think we should cross the bridge this time?”

  “Wait …” Metis tapped her temples. “You’re thinking about this all wrong. First, it’s not about what we did before. Second, our mission is totally different. Last time we were searching for clues … of any kind. This time it’s a battle of wits against Pontus. Give me a moment.” She bent over for a few moments, and then stood straight abruptly. “I know where the posts are! Er, generally speaking.”

  “Well aren’t you fancy? And just how do you know this?”

  “Hear me out. Where would you place them?”

  “Near the greatest peril—”

  “Exactly!” She poked me in the center of my breastplate. “And everyone else will be thinking that way as well. Smart strategy says to reject the common notion for the uncommon. That goes for this or any other competitive endeavor.”

  She placed her hands on either side of her helmet. “He placed them in an area that is difficult to access, but actually far away from the beasts he discussed. Think about it. He didn’t want to fight wolves and dragons simply to place the Hurlers, right? Neither does he want his students to meet harm on, what, the first practice of the new term? Based on my calculations, one should be high, like in a tree or on a bluff. And I bet one is even in the river, below the surface. I mean, who would check under water, right?”

  My affection for Metis grew one hundred-fold in that moment. The combination of her fierce intelligence and uncontested beauty coiled a stranglehold around my heart and mind.

  “Don’t look at me like that.” She playfully shoved me. “We have a mission to complete and a captain to crown.”

  I smiled. “Thank you.”

  “For what? No one said anything about crowning you captain. Remember, I’m the smart one. You’re all flash and thunder.” She walked briskly toward the bridge, and then turned around. “You coming?”

  Unable to temper my smile, I caught up to her. We crossed the bridge. It spanned nearly two stories above river water that raced around boulders and fallen tree trunks. We climbed the incline on the far side. Zig-zagging around thick brush and tree clumps, higher and higher we climbed. A sheer crag at my back, I stopped to rest a moment and appreciate the view. The valley floor spread majestically. I inhaled deeply the crisp, woodsy scent of the valley.

  Looking up to where the rock disappeared into the clouds, I said, “I sure hope Pontus didn’t put it up there.”

  “Definitely doubtful, but we can’t rule it out. You ready to climb?”

  “Without rope … or some manner of … wait!” I brought my closed fist to my mouth, looking off into the clear space between this ridge and the next. “I got this.” I checked our immediate surroundings for curious eyes. “Listen,” I said to Metis, “I need to be able to contact you after I do what I’m about to do. So stay here. Don’t. Move.”

  “You’re scaring me …” She crossed her arms. “What are you going to d—”

  “Faith …”

  I closed my eyes and focused all my energy on generating the image of the eagle I’d encountered and changed into last term. What a regal bird. A rippling shiver rained through me like an icy downpour. Dull aches plagued my numb extremities. The image in my mind became so real that I could feel the curved yellow beak and the feathers across its broad breast.

  Metis gasped.

  I opened my eyes and suddenly everything in my cone of vision sharpened. Clear. Magnified. As I peered to the top of the rock across the valley, I focused on a rodent scrambling to freedom atop it. My gaze trailed downward to where a pack of rabid wolves worked themselves to a froth awaiting the rodent’s demise. And in a startling move, when the meal did not return to them, they turned on one another.

  Metis cradled my feathered head in her hands. “You are brilliant. I know exactly what you’re doing now. I’ll be right here. Go taste that freedom. For both of us.”

  I extended my wings and launched into the air. Wind slipped past my face as I climbed higher above the Caldron competitive arena. The MO Prep base stood high on one incline to my right. The opponent’s hid on the other side of the snaking river. Don and Phi enjoyed a brief kiss by a waterfall before trudging deeper into The Thick. Lovebirds.

  Hera, Tia, and Meter looked like they were employing a divide-and-conquer strategy. The three of them traveled westward on the northern bank, in a line, about fifty paces separating eac
h of them. But I knew Hera was providing the mental adhesive, guiding them all with her telepathy. Only Gaia knew where Shade and Aphro had gone. I couldn’t find them anywhere.

  My gaze locked on a blue light within hundred tough paces of the trio below. Smite! They were close. If I swooped down to the post before they got there, I’d win this thing. But that would mean leaving Metis alone on the hillside while I hurled back to the Armory.

  Zero chance of that.

  If we were going to win, we’d have to do it together.

  Besides, what kind of leader would leave their team behind? I considered Tia’s comment about that earlier. Leadership isn’t going it alone. Is it, Zeus? My mind drifted again to that fateful day of Hyperion’s descent. My actions had led directly to Tos’ death. That’s a heart smudge I’d carry until my end of time.

  Was shapeshifting cheating? Not technically. Pontus didn’t specifically disallow it. I simply used the arsenal at my disposal. All weapons should be deployed to win at war, yes? I didn’t even use the Sky Throne-granted deity magic, either. That really would be unfair, even though Hera was no doubt using hers. And Shade … wait, maybe that’s why I couldn’t see him. Invisibility. I hoped I’d never have to use my energy manipulation ever again except in times of extreme self-defense.

  But now the question arose, how badly did I want to win this contest? Captain, huh? I circled in the air, spied back to make sure Metis was safe, then glided over the treetops. I nearly scraped wings with another eagle. Startled, I called out and flapped aggressively mid-air.

  We hovered, staring at one another. His rodent meal dangled from his talons. I wondered if it was the same rodent that had escaped the wolves. It outran one predator to be claimed by another.

  “Do I know you?” the other bird asked, flapping its wings furiously. “And stop eyeballing my meal!”

  I thought back to the episode at the Cloudwell last term, to the eagle from whom I’d drawn this incredible energy in the first place.

  “Basil?” I asked.

  “What of it? Who are you?”

  “It’s me, Zeus. Remember?” I said, truly hoping it was the same eagle. If not, I’d have tzatziki all over my face. “We met some time ago when …”

  “Yeah, yeah. I remember. You’re one of those metaphysical freaks down at the school, changing your shape and form at will. It’s crazy making if you ask me. I am what I am. You need to be true to who you are as well. How’ve you been? Good?”

  “I have. Had a couple of scrapes with death, but otherwise good.”

  “Death is a pesky concept.” Basil looked around as if someone were listening. “Some of you freaks can’t die. Or won’t. And your decisions reflect it. Me, I take each day as it comes. If I don’t die today, tomorrow is another chance to soar. Take care, my friend. My stomach is grumbling.”

  Basil sailed away. I turned my beak downward. Hera, Tia, and Meter had edged slightly closer to the post nearest them. Hera’s neck craned upward. She looked directly at me. Could she read my mind in this eagle form? Not likely.

  I circled in the air to get a better view of Metis. She stood firm. No harm threatened her, so I coasted to land at the top of a tall tree. Another blue light flashed in my peripheral vision, farther away from Metis. In a bend in the river, under the water. Just like Metis had predicted. That girl was genius.

  I could’ve dived down there, shifted back to myself, hurled back to the Armory, and won the event. But what about Metis? I had to return for her somehow. If I went for her first, we’d never make it back to the submerged post in time, not before Hera, Tia and Meter reached theirs. Damn.

  I descended slowly, catching just enough air beneath my wings to not sink too rapidly. I leveled out several stories above the water. Hovering. I had to ensure that what I’d seen was indeed what I thought it to be. It was. The blue of the post magnified beneath the water’s rippling surface.

  As I turned to climb higher again, Don and Phi stood at the river’s bank, three hundred paces or so downstream. We stared at one another for far too long. Had I simply flown away it would’ve been better for me. At this distance he couldn’t see detail, not that my eagle face would tell any emotion. But I could see his face as clearly as the epiphany that dawned across it. I think he knew. I needed to act quickly if I ever hoped to pull off the maneuver.

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  I raced through the air at breakneck speed. Don or Phi must’ve figured out what was happening. Behind me, they both dove off the high-cliffed river bank into the water. After twisting and turning through trees and branches, I reached Metis in a frenzy.

  I shifted back to myself. It took several moments, longer than I’d have liked. I explained everything to Metis.

  Like a true warrior, she stared into my eyes and said, “Let’s do it.”

  I shifted back first, realizing that Metis would then be accepting the energy of a copy of an eagle and not the real thing. My body’s cells nearly rejected the request, still weary from the last run, and the quick turnover. The entire process ate way too much precious time and energy. Finally my entire body became the eagle. And then I realized that I needed to get to that Hurler post to replenish my cosmic dust levels. So much depended upon winning this.

  Metis placed her hand upon my feathered head. A great sucking torrent rushed from my talons up through my body to the tips of my wings and tingled at the point of my beak. Several moments later, Metis had transformed herself as well.

  “Follow me!” I said.

  We lifted off and wove effortlessly through the trees until we reached clear air. Hera, Tia, and Meter were just around the corner from their prize. Don and Phi swam like a sea beast was at their backs. They approached the crucial bend in the river with preternatural speed, despite the heavy armor they wore. No wonder Don and Phi won all those swimming titles. They must’ve been part fish. Gills. Webbed Feet. Something.

  Metis and I pinned our wings to our sides and dove with reckless abandon to the water just ahead of Don and Phi. We landed with a huge splash and quickly morphed back into ourselves. Weakened to my bones, I held my hand in the air to halt Don and Phi’s swimming approach.

  “Cheater!” Phi yelled as she stopped swimming and stood upright. The water came up to her neck.

  “I told you, Phi! Told you that eagle was up to something,” Don roared. “I can’t believe you’d cheat to win, Spruce! You should be DQ’d for sure.”

  “I used the abilities at my disposal, a skill any one of us could’ve used. We all went through shapeshifting class.” I paused. “Oh, that’s the class you used to show up late for all the tim—”

  “Once!” Don yelled. “I was tardy one time, Spruce! I paid my debt.”

  “Leaders should be first … not last.” I twisted the verbal knife.

  “But I …”

  “A leader should also admit when they’re wrong.”

  Don huffed and waded toward me. “You listen to me, you little runt. You still cheated because we never had birds in shifting class.”

  “Not my fault. Your pride is hurt because I outsmarted you.”

  “We, baby …” Metis cooed. “We outsmarted them. Remember?”

  “Indeed, I do.” I turned to Metis. “What would I do without you?”

  Don seethed through clenched teeth.

  “Just remember, we’re all on the same team when this is over,” Phi said.

  “I’m telling Coach Pontus about your little stunt when we get back.”

  I told Metis to fly in the direction I last saw Hera, Tia, and Meter and to distract them once she got there. She morphed back into the eagle, nodded, and flew off.

  Don and Phi waded closer to where I stood. Don stripped out of his breastplate. The mesh battle tunic hung heavy atop the cloth tunic that had become a second skin. Phi followed suit.

  “What are you waiting for?” Don asked. “You won. Teleport back to base and claim your captain’s insignia.”

  “I’m
waiting for Metis to get back,” I replied proudly. “I couldn’t have done it without her.”

  “Birds of a feather, huh?”

  “Something like that.” I chuckled.

  Thunderous noise in the distance punctuated the random water splashing sounds that surrounded us. The ground shook at nearly predictable intervals.

  Don pointed over my shoulders. “Look at that!”

  “I’m not falling for that trick.” I laughed from my belly. “Turn my back so you can touch the Hurler post and teleport back before me. Nice try.”

  Phi’s eyes grew big. “No really. What in the name of Gaia is that thing?”

  I studied Don’s face. Then Phi’s. This was serious. Whatever it was.

  I turned to see a mountain … lumbering toward us. Rock face, broad earthen shoulders, and gigantic arms strangled in vines. Not to mention the scorched and cracked earth legs moved atop boulders for feet.

  “Olympians, we have a problem,” I said.

  The mammoth beast continued to move down the river valley toward us. Then it stopped. The molten lava red in its eyes pulsed for a moment. Then the monster turned and ripped off the top of a nearby crag and threw it at us.

  “Incoming!” Don yelled. “Evasive measures, now!”

  Without any cover, we swam to the edges of the river and braced for impact. Judging from the trajectory, the boulder would hit just past us. But we had to be safe. The riverbank rose to a height we wouldn’t quite be able to climb. I needed the energy of the Hurler post, but I couldn’t risk being wide open in the middle of the river like that again.

  The jagged boulder slammed into the river just past us, quaking the ground, sending huge waves in both directions.

  “That was close. We have to split up,” Phi said. “Three targets are harder to hit than one.”

  “But don’t go too far. The Hurler post could save us,” I said.

  “Why don’t we just hurl back to the armory now?”

  “I can’t!” I countered. “I have to wait for Metis. You two go back, first. I’ll let you win. When Metis returns, we’ll be right behind you.”