The God of Olympus

by Matthew Argyle

  Hercules tried to stay awake, but after several minutes the two drifted off into a deep sleep.

  ******

  Philoctetes awoke Hercules early that morning to prepare for his first day of hero training. The sun was just rising and it was a bright and cheery day.

  “In the end the only way you can be a hero is if people believe you are, in fact, a hero,” said Philoctetes. “So you must learn how to become one. The transformation of you into a type of cursed creature will begin in about three months. So that means I only have three months to train you and get you ready for the outside world.”

  Of course, Philoctetes was not going to give Hercules any easy task. To begin the morning he was to run around the island three times with Philoctetes on his back. And considering the tough terrain and the fact that the island itself was relatively large, he found this task extremely difficult and tiring. But Philoctetes said that this was simply the warm-up.

  Once he had completed this portion of his task Philoctetes had Hercules gain great strength, endurance, and balance. He first had Hercules hold out a large boulder in each of his hands while both of his arms were outstretched. Then he made Hercules he lift up a great rock, at least ten feet in diameter and hurl it off the cliff. At first Hercules didn’t succeed at lifting the great boulder and throwing it off the cliff, but after several attempts, he was able to complete this great task. And so Hercules quickly got stronger, faster, and more precise.

  “When do I get a weapon?” asked Hercules.

  “Not yet,” said Philoctetes. “Later, but not yet. Now you must learn to face the enemy. Fight the beasts on this island, but do not slay them. Do not teach them to fear or hate you, but teach them to honor and respect you. First fight without weapons and later you may fight better with them.”

  And so Philoctetes had Hercules wrestle the great beasts on the island. He said this would help him gain focus and basic fighting skills. So Hercules learned how to fight many different types of creatures—all that existed on the island. Philoctetes said that learning how to defeat, but not kill, all these different creatures would help him be able to defeat any opponent. He found many different types of enemies there—Chimeras, Centaurs, Harpies, Manticores, Minotaurs, and many other creatures. Each one presented a different challenge to him. He would never kill these creatures, but he learned how to capture them, making them greatly respect his power and authority, and as well delight in his kindness and mercy. He was teaching these cursed creatures kindness and civility and after he had defeated them they never would attack him again.

  Day after day of training passed. Hercules was getting more tired day after day, but he was focused on his ultimate goal of becoming a great hero. And so he worked and worked, until the nearly three months had passed. By then he could run quickly around the island with Pegasus and Philoctetes on his back. By then he could lift the greatest boulder on the island and fight the fiercest of beasts. He was almost ready to leave the island of Lemnos.

  “Physically, you are ready for what lies ahead,” said Philoctetes. “You have learned how to fight all sorts of terrifying creatures. But there are still greater challenges than that in your path. You have now come to your last and final test on this island, if you can call it that. I have not told you why I opted to train you…why I opted to believe you when against all odds I shouldn’t have.” Philoctetes and Hercules walked out to an old, broken down courtyard in the center of the island. “This once was the center of civilization on this island.” And still, almost entirely intact, but covered in ivy and greenery, was a bronze statue at least ten feet tall. The statue was of a large, muscular man, a man over whose back was a lion skin, girted about with a cloth around his waist and with a massive club in his hands. Philoctetes looked sad. “Here stands the statue of Herakles.”

  “Herakles?” said Hercules, surprised at the similarity of that name with his name.

  “Yes, no doubt similar to your name,” said Philoctetes.

  “Herakles,” said Hercules again, sounding confused.

  “Yes, Herakles…you see I did not mention Herakles before because I felt that you didn’t need to know about him—or more specifically—that you didn’t need to know that your mother and father named you, at least in a way, after him.”

  “So, what of it?” asked Hercules.

  “You should know that it resembles a name of an old hero. You see Hercules, Herakles, was a great hero, but a hero, nevertheless with great flaws. He did great things, no doubt, and had great abilities. He slew a Nemean Lion. He slew a Nine-Headed Hydra. He cleaned the Augean stables in one day. He did a great many amazing feats, more than I even have time to say. However, his heart could never settle for one woman. And there was more weakness in Herakles than that. He killed some of his own children and ended up siding with Hades. Most people thought that he shed his mortal side and his immortal side went gloriously up to Olympus.”

  “Is that not good?” asked Hercules.

  “People need more than made-up good endings Hercules. Herakles is a God people here worship, but he is a fake—a God that cannot provide true peace to these people.”

  “Why do you still let people believe in him?”

  “Because who else are these people going to believe? Zeus or Hera? We haven’t seen them in this land for over thirty years. Poseidon or Artemis? No, they stay in their own lands and have come to care nothing for mortals. What people have now, and all that they have now, is myth, but myth will not long sustain them. No, they need a real hero, a living hero to come back to them and help them—a hero who is just as much a God as any God, but just as mortal as any mortal. And, if my heart is correct, you are that hero.”

  Hercules suddenly felt a great burden on him. He had always wanted to be a hero, a great savior to many people, but now it seemed so difficult.

  “I have great strength, speed, and skill in fighting, but how will that help me become a hero?”

  Philoctetes sighed and pulled out a large, sleek sword, the same sword that Hercules saw in his cave, except now it was shiny and sharp. “Now it is time that you have a weapon. Once you arrive on the Greek mainland you are to never let this weapon leave your side. To Herakles of old I gave a club, but a club is a ruthless weapon, a weapon that meant to show your great strength, but is very unrefined. No, to you Hercules I give a far grander weapon—a sword.” Philoctetes handed him the sword. Hercules began swinging it quickly through the air. “A sword is much more refined and civilized than a club. It is lighter and far quicker. It is not a lightning bolt like Zeus, a trident like Poseidon, or a staff like Hades, but a sword. I found this weapon while on this island and feel that it holds great value to the one who possesses it. Who possessed it before me I do not know, but it will serve you well as you go about your hero’s quest. But let me tell you now that being a hero means much more than swinging your sword. In reality a sword will do very little. Being a hero will take all of you.”

  Philoctetes looked off to the west and noticed dark clouds forming in the distance. “I will have to tell you more later…come quickly…a great storm is coming from the east. This must be a sign from the Gods…we must leave this island soon. We must make west, to Sparta, on the Greek mainland. There you will face your next test.”

  “Why not ride Pegasus?” asked Hercules.

  “I will trust no beast,” replied Philoctetes. “No, instead we must journey by boat.”

  Philoctetes led Hercules and Pegasus to a small boat Philoctetes had stationed in a small, secluded grotto on the north-west part of the island. The boat was nothing extraordinary and Hercules hoped that it wouldn’t fall apart when they took it on the ocean.

  “Meet the Paralus!” exclaimed Philoctetes. “The fastest ship in all of Greece! Once I was the great captain, and used this ship to scout out enemies on the open ocean. She will do her job well Hercules. There is no doubt there. I will, of course, need your help. Hercules, you must man the oars and do the job of three men, as there are three sets of o
ars, and I will cover the helm. Your Pegasus may lie and rest.” Hercules nodded and began rowing out of the shallow water and into the open sea. As they did so they felt a gush of wind blow all around them. Rain began to poor down. “Come Hercules! Help me push this boat out to sea. We have little time!”

  So Hercules, with Pegasus and Philoctetes in the boat, heaved the boat out from the shore and into the open ocean. Philoctetes looked pleased to finally man a ship and be away from the cursed island. The journey by ship was to be long and intense, but this was making Hercules all the more ready for what was to occur in the future.

  Chapter 4: Hades and his Underworld

  The dark creature that flew down from snowy Mount Olympus was one of the Dark Lord’s more hideous and frightening servants. He had large and hideous black wings surrounding his black body. His face was hardly discernible and most would think him a great bat upon seeing him. Once a servant under Zeus’ command, he sided with Hades in the Great War and his form changed. He lost much intelligence and became a fierce creature, focused only on serving Hades. Since the time Hades lost Hercules he had many of these winged creatures secretly stand watch in the caves by Mount Olympus, should Zeus or Hera attempt to leave that mount, or should any news of Hercules and his identity and whereabouts surface. And now, now that this creature had seen a large, muscular man walk up the mountain and speak with Zeus, he knew that Hercules must have returned. He knew that Hades, his master, would be pleased to learn what Hercules was up to.

  He had waited a long time for this moment, a time he would be able to leave the frozen mountain caves, spread forth his great wings, and make the long trip south from Mount Olympus to the island of Crete, where there stood Hades’ dark abode. And so the great creature flew down, down through the clouds and frozen air south towards Hades underworld. When he finally arrived at the island of Crete he navigated between the jagged cliffs and mountains until finally the beast saw the only physical manifestation of Hades’ underworld—a great, steel black gate. The gate was surrounded by mountain, and within the gate was Hades’ grand underworld.

  Now time must be spent in describing Hades and his dark abyss of an underworld, a place known as “hell” to most of those in the mortal world. Hades’ kingdom, if you could call it that, truly was an “underworld,” entirely hidden underneath the rocky mountains of Crete. It was said that there was once a peaceful and thriving people on this island, but since Hades arrived a long time ago the people had long died, or fled, due to the terrifying darkness he placed over the island. While there were many underground tunnels in Hades’ abyss there was only one main entrance to Hades’ underground palace (as there was another secret entrance). There, the door to Hades’ abyss was a large black gate made of stone and steel, which could only be opened or closed by Hades’ magic.

  Hades had created a magnificent palace there, a palace for the Gods, a palace so large that even Hades himself hadn’t been to or seen it all. Beyond the gate the underworld spread out like a tree with tunnels that branched off the main hallway into hundreds of directions. For miles Hades’ underworld extended itself outward.

  His abode always smelled of death, that putrid smell that makes people gasp and cough without delay or hesitation. Interestingly enough, however, there was always much life in Hades’ abode. It was just a different type of life.

  In the cavernous, sooty underworld there were dark creatures, creatures like bats that flew all around the cave. There were also water creatures, both big and small that slushed around through the water (where water did exist). There were also creatures that walked on land, poor unfortunate creatures who originally were free and lived out in the wild, but, due to their desire for protection from predators or harsh weather, were compelled to enter Hades’ cave. Hades, of course, opened the gate for them to enter, but once any mortal creature entered Hades’ abode there was no leaving unless Hades willed it. So these lonely creatures, be they bear, deer, rabbit, mouse, or whatever they were, were stuck and gradually seeped deeper and deeper into Hades’ cave looking for food and water. Of course, there was nothing for a mortal to eat in those caves and only old, disgustingly gross water. So they eventually collapsed on the cave floor, waiting and wanting to die there in Hades’ underworld. However, Hades’ controlled the power of death, especially in his underworld, and thus did not grant them death. Instead, they transformed into hideous, angry, delusional creatures that no longer had any hope of a good life.

  Their fur transformed into a long, gruffly, sooty ash. Their claws and teeth grew longer and sharper. Their skin became greyish-black and much more stretched. They ever sought evil and became fierce, deformed creatures.

  There were three levels, to Hades’ underworld. The bottom level was called Tartarus—a place that even Hades didn’t dare descend to. It was a place that seemed to naturally dig itself into the ground by Hades’ mere presence. This was a place all the evil, suffering souls with no will left at all went to linger away from all hope. Then there was the main level, the level where Hades’ servants who were bound to him wandered enslaved. Day and night his servants, both humans and creatures, labored with pickaxes, making that rock prison larger and larger for all the souls that Hades was continually gathering. These people, or wraiths, constantly chiseled away down the dark corridors with no time for sleep. It was a despairing life for these souls.

  The top level of Hades’ underworld was smaller than the rest and was reserved exclusively for Hades himself and those few servants he would allow enter. On the top level there was a grand council room, or literally, Hades’ throne room. This is where Hades spent almost all his time. This room lay directly under the tallest peak on Crete and had one great oculus in the center of his throne room that allowed Hades to gaze up at the sky.

  You see, Hades was not accustomed to light, nor did he quite prefer it, although he could endure it and, like Philoctetes, he wanted to have one skylight for his underworld. Some said he had it because he simply wanted fresh air. Some thought he enjoyed the skylight so that he could look up at the sun and be reminded of what power he wanted—the power of the sun. Others thought it was so Hades could have a secret escape, as he frequently left his underworld to perform tasks within Greece.

  In the highest part of Hades’ underworld, underneath the oculus, was a massive round table made of black stone. There, in the middle of the table was a large hole where a massive magical globe of the world of Greece and the seas and islands around it, which he frequently referenced. It was not a stiff or boring round globe, but an animated one, one that looked so real you would have believed it was a real world. You see, Hades spent a great deal of time in his throne room, almost always planning and scheming over how he was to achieve his next great victory against Zeus and his army. The past two decades, while the world was in a situation of temporary peace, were well spent, at least in Hades’ mind.

  Hades always wore a black robe, but had no crown. His skin was completely grey, as if he had come from the ashes of death. His head was completely bald, but his face was without wrinkles, as if his power of Godhood had preserved his physical form. He looked no older than thirty, although he was, of course, far older than the earth itself. In his hands he nearly always held his staff, an elegantly crafted black staff with a small, clear, mystical globe on top.

  Hades’ flying servant noticed the oculus and found that a perfect place to enter. So he swooped downwards and into the throne room, where he found Hades’ leaning over the table looking down at a portion of his globe.

  Hades did not turn around immediately after hearing the creature. Instead he seemed to sense who it was.

  “What is it?” snarled Hades. “Why have you left your position on watch at Mount Olympus?”

  “Master,” said the creature. “It is Hercules. Hercules has been to Mount Olympus.”

  “Are you sure?”

  The creature smiled. “Yes Master. No other man could have made that climb, and I heard him talking with none other than Zeus himse
lf. It must be him.”

  Hades smiled insidiously and suddenly turned around. “Consulting the great God he is! Go quickly now my servant! Awaken the Fates and summon the dark Gods and fallen heroes to me. Together we will make our next move!”

  Hades knew that Hercules reaching Mount Olympus and talking with Zeus could only mean one thing—that he was preparing to come forth as a great hero and thwart his plan. Of course, Hades knew, ever since the day he lost the babe Hercules from his flying chariot, that eventually this day would come. But he would be ready for it.

  You see, amidst Hades’ ranks, or at least as allies, he had more than just fallen soldiers and ordinary citizens of Greece. No, he had far much more power than that. In preparation for what was to ensue he had found and offered his home to three great Fates—beings without true form, however, with knowledge of both the past, present, and future (which he, of course, felt would help him greatly). Then he also had as allies Gods who previously fought for Zeus but now sided with Hades. Among these Gods were a few notable Gods such as Dionysus, the God of wine, pleasure, and disorder, as well as Hephaestus, the god of fire, technology, and a great many more things. He had even managed to persuade Ares, the God of war, bloodshed, and violence, to join his ranks. These dark Gods were once noble and great beings, who because desire for greater power, were enticed to join him. In addition to the Fates and Gods on his side, he also had many fallen Greek heroes, the most notable of which was Herakles himself.

  Although he had, for a long period of time, fought a war in the heavens for more than just one world, he knew that, no war in heaven could be won without first having won the war on the earth, and more in particular, Greece.

  Hades knew that the time was soon at hand.

  Suddenly Hades heard a voice from behind him.

  “Now is the time!” rasped the rough female voice.