Past Lives

by Kirsten Bij't Vuur

  Melissa pocketed it, a tight fit in her current dress, and from the feel of it she suspected it was a gun. But she could see Paul's gun tucked into Lukas'

  belt openly.

  Galan and Paul had made a second gun in total secret, Melissa bet especially for the occasion. As it was, Melissa was not going to complain, she had come to love Hermes slightly differently than a father-in-law, and she

  would kill to protect him. A gun made her feel safe, though she had no clue what it would shoot, she guessed not cartridges but powder and a lead bullet, it would have to be something Galan could produce himself. That would give her one shot, which was not a lot, but it might be enough to distract.

  They embraced Aphrodite silently, then sat down.

  'Before you leave to find my son, you need to know what you are up against. Lukas assures me he can move nearly as fast as his father, even with you along. We will follow a short time later, we will teleport to you as soon as we know a location.

  Nonetheless those few moments will be very dangerous for the both of you, for our enemy is a goddess from a different civilisation. Her name is Ishtar, and she is the goddess of love and war for the Babylonians. Her own civilisation is in decline, her worshippers lessening in numbers and dedication, and she is seeking to replace Aphrodite here.

  She subverted Dionysus to her cause, promising him sex better than just physical loving, involving debaucheries, depravities and total abandonment.

  Besides being bored and theatrical, Dionysus is not very smart, not in the mind nor in the ways of the world.

  He was ensnared before he realized it, and only then found she meant him to sacrifice one of his most beloved friends, Lykos Hermeides, his herald and already called the master of love by many. He was to disappear in disgrace, and to be given to herself in servitude, to be used as she saw fit, then discarded.

  It seems Dionysus couldn't face delivering his favourite to that fate, and hired the demon kind to take him and deposit him in an alien world. After a painful ordeal, Lykos ended up in Melissa's loving arms, totally out of reach.

  Hermes did not give him up as lost, but asked the oracle for advice, and found him. Together they solved the next plot, subverting the satyrs, a double bill to bring Hermes and Aphrodite down, and to win the power of the satyrs'

  love.

  Paul's ordeal was not the deprived action of a mad individual, Rhoda had been subtly abused night after night for months, as punishment for Lykos'

  loss, her mind lost in the process, and her hatred directed at Lykos, should he ever appear in court again, or Hermes, should she ever find him in the right circumstances.

  What Ishtar wants with Hermes now is not clear, according to Dionysus she is overconfident, thinking she can subvert him, I hope this is true with all

  my heart.

  Ishtar can subvert virtually any mortal, and Lykos is not long enough into his strength to withstand her, you can only find her and mark her for us. We'll take care of her. Aphrodite will squash her for all of us who suffered from her actions. But most of all, I want my son back!'

  That scared Melissa, seeing that wise old man release his anger. She felt kind of safe, knowing he'd be behind her, but only if she could do what everyone expected her to do, find Hermes. She could only think of following his magic link back to him, if that didn't work, what was left?

  Quietly, she invoked sight, and was relieved to see a thin pink line, like Paul's boundary, running away through the bedrock walls of the chamber. A bit corny, but if it worked...

  'I think I can see the link, shall we try straight away? Every second counts. Let's find the closest exit.'

  Lukas laughed merrily, and said: 'I think not, we're up thousands of feet, you'd faint for lack of air. I'll take you to the ground-floor exit. But what about Paul, can he come with you, or will you take him back to Ophelie's house?'

  His grandfather replied: 'We will take him, he will want to see justice done for what was done to him, and to his captor. And he knows magic we don't, we might need him yet. We will see you soon. Take care, Lukas!'

  As Lukas lighted up and Melissa felt herself lose weight, she said in a soft voice: 'He calls you Lukas, not Lykos.'

  Lukas looked at her for a second, and then he shot off, nearly as fast as his father, halls blurring, Melissa hoping no-one would open a door in front of them.

  Nothing happened, and they were outside, at the foot of a huge mountain.

  Melissa was bit disappointed to find Olympus so, well, as she expected it.

  But she also saw that pink line, and felt a twinge of a strange emotion, pink, the power of love. Hermes had given her his love as well as his power. But no doubt Ophelie had one just like it, gods had a lot of love to give.

  Concentrating on her task, she linked with Lukas on a superficial level, not distracting him, but enabling him to see what she saw. He was still speeding up, over gravelled beaches, choppy seas, more hills, treetops.

  Seconds became minutes, half an hour, an hour, and still that line went on, and Lukas kept on running. The country was gorgeous, they were above

  the sea now, but in sight of the coast, they must be close then, the line didn't follow the course Ishtar had taken, but the shortest route from Hermes to herself.

  She sent a message to Lukas, 'take care, we're closing in', and Lukas slowed a tiny bit. Melissa tried to see ahead, and indeed, she spotted the end of the line, a tiny boat without a crew. Propelled by magic? She was clearly not from around here, didn't she know Poseidon disliked magic-use on his seas?

  Lukas had seen the boat as well, and ran towards land. If he stopped on the sea, he'd sink like anyone else, Melissa guessed. They could still follow the line, but each on their own feet now, Melissa back to her own weight, feeling the heat not a little.

  And she had not even done the tough bit, Lukas was heaving, but he kept on walking, he let her know that was better to cool down anyway. They did not talk, but shared thoughts.

  Finally they saw a little camp, night was close, and even this goddess didn't want to be on the Mediterranean at night in a tiny ship. Didn't she have other means to move about?

  Waiting in the bushes, they saw two vague shapes around a fire, Hermes seemed unbound and unharmed.

  Suddenly Melissa heard a clear voice in her mind, and she a fear she hadn't known she felt, left her. 'You're here, good, I knew you'd find me.

  Lykos here? Even better. Don't try anything yourself, wait for my father and sister, this is one dangerous lady. I felt Poseidon close in on us, but I asked him to keep his distance unless she started to hurt me.

  This is between my family and her, and Poseidon respects that. See you soon. Love you.'

  She didn't need to send love back, he'd felt it in his reception.

  Chapter 20

  Lukas looked at the landscape behind him, pictured an interesting rock-formation in a clearing just behind them, and seconds later three shapes materialized. Why hadn't this goddess done that? What if she could still do that?

  Melissa sent that observation to Lukas, hoping Hermes would catch it, too. Lukas didn't know. Hermes thought she probably couldn't, she was even older than they, much older. She must have had some link to Dionysus to teleport to him, or maybe the gods in her country would find out if she just dropped in.

  Aphrodite and Zeus now gestured at the three of them to stay in the bushes, as they walked into the clearing and confronted the barbarian goddess heads on. Ishtar looked at Hermes, and saw she had been deluded.

  Knowing they would give her no quarter, she prepared her last defence, magic of course. Her shields were awesome, and she called lightning down. It was a real show of force, but thinking of the hound of hell, even Melissa was not impressed. Until she smelled a strong randy odour from behind her.

  She turned around, and saw three creatures really close, same men's heads, same eagles' wings, but lion bodies this time. They were so close, that she shouted a warning and fished the gun out of her pocket. Brace herself, a
im at the human head, pull the trigger.

  The thunder of the shot was louder than the magic battle in the clearing.

  One creature dropped, a single bullet-hole between the eyes.

  Paul had a large wolf out this time, trying to hamstring one of the felines, as Lukas took aim carefully, lighting up a tiny bit. Paul's gun made an even worse racket, and the third creature dropped.

  But the first was still very much alive, though hindered by one useless leg. It turned like lightning and swiped the wolf-construct through the air.

  The wolf didn't get up, and Paul dismissed it. As the monster turned its attention back to them, Lukas threw the gun at Paul, saying: 'Use magic to improve your aim, I'm going to try something.'

  The creature was limping, but this one was quick, and it had claws to

  swipe with. There was no time for Paul to aim and shoot, it closed on him fast, going for his throat. Then it just dropped, stone-dead.

  'I boiled its blood,' Lukas said, 'apparently that is deadly.'

  'But it is impervious to magic,' they exclaimed together.

  This caused Lukas to grin widely, and he said: 'Oh, I guess I didn't know that.'

  Still laughing, they turned around to check on Lukas' family.

  Aphrodite was having it out with her rival, whilst Zeus and Hermes were slaying countless monsters, casually using magic, as Lukas had, but a lot less effectively, scoring hits instead of instant kills.

  'Better go and help them, Lukas,' Paul said, 'they're not healers, they're not as adept at killing.'

  Lukas nodded, but first he asked: 'Paul, will you keep that gun aimed at Ishtar? Magically? And if there is even the slightest sign she is going to hurt Aphrodite, shoot the bitch. I want her liver on a plate, for what she did to all of us.'

  And off he was, monsters dropping in his wake, apparently boiling their blood was the best way to kill these critters.

  Melissa kept an eye out for more creatures at their back, as Paul concentrated on his target as single-mindedly as no-one else could, used to engraving for hours, or carving tiny figurines from wax.

  Aphrodite was winning, as far as Paul could tell, her shields were still perfect, whilst her adversary's were fraying at the edges. He remembered beating a black mage in a duel, then getting shot in the back. He would not hesitate for a single breath to shoot this goddess in the back, she might be the goddess of love in her own country, she had wreaked havoc in this one, and she would not get away with it.

  He did doubt he could kill an immortal with a gun, but given the chance he would certainly try.

  By now, all the monsters lay dead, and three generations of gods approached the barbarian goddess once again.

  Losing the battle, and knowing she would not escape, the goddess became desperate, gathering power inside herself, probably draining her measly following totally in the process. What was she doing? Paul was reminded of a boiler overheating, so much pressure inside one person, be it a goddess.

  He uttered a sound of unbelief, and Melissa looked at what he saw, used her sight, and cried: 'Shoot her, she's going to blow herself up and take all of

  them with her.'

  Paul didn't hesitate, he took a heartbeat to focus his spell and pulled the trigger.

  The blast ripped through the clearing, and Ishtar fell, the power in her dissipating into the soil below her.

  Lukas was the first to reach her, and declared her severely wounded, but not dead just yet. Glad that she was not obliged to decide her fate, Melissa walked towards them, followed by Paul.

  Aphrodite bound the barbarian goddess magically, and put a block on her magic.

  'Why did you shoot her?' she asked.

  Paul replied: 'She was gathering power and looked like a boiler on the verge of blowing. Melissa agreed she was going to blow herself up in your faces, taking you with her in death. If she can die. If you can die.

  Anyhow, I had my instructions.' This last, nudging in Lukas' direction.

  'Oh, she can die, and she still may. Thank you for getting her alive, though, I can't wait to ask her some pertinent questions. She's insulted my good friend Poseidon by using magic in his realm, which will make him eager to help us get the truth out of her.

  But not yet. First we will celebrate our victory, and take leave in a fitting way, for we have become good friends, and you will be sorely missed.'

  As the barbarian goddess had been bound, and danger was averted, Melissa saw Hermes coming towards her, and he embraced her tightly and rested his head on hers one more time. He said proudly: 'I knew you'd find me, Lykos opposed my giving you that link, but it has saved lives more than once. I'll be sorry to remove it before you leave.'

  'And I'll be sorry to leave you, Hermes, link and all. It has taken some time, but I have finally come to love you really well, and I'm glad we are leaving you a lot safer, and a lot happier.'

  He was delighted to hear her speak her love for him, and they stood together for some time. Then Melissa wanted to go back to her men, especially Lukas, who had heard some nasty truths today, and must be smarting inside.

  He was standing alone, a bit lost, glad it was over, but still burdened with what he had learned. Then he beheld his beloved, she had come for him especially, feeling for him, wanting to be with him. He wrapped her in his

  arms and inhaled her lovely scent, feeling better instantly.

  He whispered: 'When we get back, it will be really cold, won't it?'

  She nodded a bit concernedly and said: 'You will not believe how cold, it is so much hotter here than in our hottest summer, it will be a shock even to us, and we're used to cold.'

  Trying to hold her even closer, he whispered again: 'Good, it will be so good to lie in a warm, soft, bed together, and just touch you, and smell you, and make love to you. I can't wait.'

  There she was, crying again, so intensely glad Lukas was coming home with them, and finding him looking forward to getting home. She kissed him, and then they found themselves wrapped in Paul's embrace as well. Together, safe, and tomorrow, home.

  Aphrodite and Zeus had already teleported themselves back to Olympus with their prisoner. She would be kept well away from Dionysus, who was in a way one of her victims, though he would not escape punishment.

  If Ishtar survived her judgement, she would at the very least lose her powers. Dionysus had broken an important rule that existed to keep the gods from ruining whole peoples and stretches of their world, whilst fighting out their petty quarrels. Zeus knew his children needed rules to keep their unlimited powers in check.

  But Ishtar had broken an even larger taboo, trying to steal worshippers from a totally different culture, and not openly, but by weaving involved plots that had hurt mortals and immortals alike. She would pay, and not even her own family would try to save her.

  Hermes stayed back to take his son and his friends wherever they wanted to spend their last evening and night. He hoped he would be part of that last evening, and that it would be filled with joy and not with unpleasant memories.

  When they broke up their embrace, Hermes asked where they wanted to go for the night, and Lukas looked at his friends and said: 'I feel I need to speak to Dionysus one last time. I used to love him very much, and though he was part of a plot to destroy my family, I still feel sorry for him, for what he became.

  But I want both of you present, can you do that for me? And father, will you come too? And maybe we can go to Ophelie's place afterwards, for did I hear there was trouble there too? Is everyone all right?'

  Hermes did not particularly want to go to Olympus, not only had he seen enough of Dionysus for a long time, he didn't want Melissa around his father too long either. The old man was known for his lust for young women, and Hermes didn't trust him at all to keep his hands off her.

  His expression must have revealed his doubt, for Lykos asked: 'What is the problem, father? Do you mistrust grandfather with Melissa? He has assured me he will respect her, if we will please spend an hour drinking a glass o
f wine with him.'

  Hermes shrugged, and took all of them to Olympus. They were met by Zeus and Aphrodite, who brought them back to the cell, where Dionysus seemed truly glad to see Hermes alive and well. He asked: 'Did you get her?'

  Hermes nodded, and said: 'Paul here shot her, she lives and will answer for her misdeeds. We will get the truth out of her first, and then we'll probably have to kill her. That will be a task, will you help, father?'

  Zeus replied: 'I will do that with my spouse, neither of you will have to concern yourself over that nasty business. You may bear witness if you want to, even you, Dionysus. She cost you more than anyone besides your niece.'

  The mention of his niece caused Dionysus serious distress: 'What did you do to her? Is she..gone? She couldn't help herself, she was a victim more than anyone, and I didn't even know until you told me, Master Zeus.'

  Aphrodite replied: 'We burned her out, Dionysus, but now we know the truth I'm hoping Lykos and I can salvage some of her sanity. If not, we will try to make her comfortable for the rest of her days. I'm sorry, we only saw her misdeed and the rage in her mind, not the cause.'

  Dionysus was stricken, and it was clear there were too many in that cell, so the gods left Lykos and his friends alone with him.

  Paul and Melissa sat on the floor of the cell, and Lukas sat next to the god who had taken so much away from him, but had inadvertently given him so much more.

  It was clear Dionysus still didn't want to look Lukas in the eye, but Lukas took hold of his chin and forced his head up.

  'Look at me, old friend!'

  There was no reproach in those words, just an incredible power, and Dionysus could not but obey. As he truly looked at his young favourite, he saw the artist had been right, Lykos did still love him, and even forgave him.

  Dionysus also saw that Lykos was different somehow, less haunted, quieter.

  His rise to godhood?

  'I found love and happiness, old friend, that is what is different.'