“Many people in the past have lived on the island and these are the remnants of what remain of these people,” said Meg. Meg led him through the columns towards a small balcony on the north side of the room. Hercules found there was low railing to prevent falling. From there Hercules could see that the entire palace itself was on a large cliff overlooking the great sea. For miles down the cliff descended and as far as the eye could see the sea continued. “This is the balcony of my second level,” said Meg. “But come now to my third level. You will like the view from there even better.” Hercules nodded and followed Meg up another short flight of stairs.
He was surprised to find that the third level was even simpler than the first and second level. It was small, had a balcony and columns on all sides, but only had a few pieces of furniture in it (although the furniture was all elegantly crafted and made of gold, silver, and bronze). “This is where I often sit,” explained Meg as she sat down in one of the chairs. “I can sit and feel the ocean breeze. But come! On to the final level!”
So Meg led Hercules up another small stairway to the top room. The top room was the most obscure room. It was a square room that was completely empty and was not more than ten feet in diameter. It had a small balcony on both the north and the south side, but even the balcony was small. “This is the grand and most pure room!” exclaimed Meg.
“But there is nothing here?”
“Nothing in your mind,” replied Meg. “But much in mine. Here you may come to clear your mind from all the commotion of the world and all burden.” Hercules watched as Meg stood out on the front porch and raised her hands and head towards the heavens. “Here you may feel the fresh air blow against your body.”
Hercules approached the balcony and held onto the railing so he would not fall. From the south side of the balcony Hercules could see from a distance the entire expanse of her garden. It truly was a grand garden that would take much time to see and explore.
“Do you like the view?” asked Meg.
Hercules smiled. “Yes, I like it very much.”
“Good, my entire house and island, for that matter, is open to you Hercules. Now come downstairs! I will make a great meal for you.”
Hercules nodded and descended to the first level of the palace where he waited as Meg set the table with all her bounteous fruits and vegetables, placed in bowls throughout the table. There were two great goblets, and in the goblets was a delicious wine. “Hercules, come and eat! It is now ready.”
Hercules looked over at Meg and smiled. Meg sat on the south end of the table while Meg motioned for Hercules to sit on the north side. Hercules looked down at his plate. He filled it with all kinds of fruits. He then looked at the liquid in the goblet. “Made from the grapes of this garden,” said Meg. “It is finer and more delicious than any other.”
Hercules took a sip and nodded. “Of certain, this is most delicious.”
Hercules wanted to talk with Meg, but he was far too hungry for this, and instead spent the entire meal devouring what food was there. On occasion he would look over and see Meg eating some of her food, but not much.
The rest of the meal consisted of Hercules picking fruit and vegetables from the bowls set out for him. He ate apples, cherries, olives, oranges, carrots, and just about any kind of fruit and vegetable he could. After he had eaten he asked for permission to go outside and feed Pegasus. “Very well,” said Meg. “He may eat of anything in the garden. Go and I will be with you shortly.”
Hercules went out and fed Pegasus some of the fruits of the garden. He walked in the garden with Pegasus by his side, tossing him a piece of fruit or vegetable when he could. Hercules enjoyed tossing the food in different directions to see if Pegasus could still catch it with his mouth. Hercules and Pegasus both enjoyed the beautiful weather and the peace and serenity. Hercules pulled out a pear from the pear tree and ate it.
Suddenly Meg appeared behind him. “It is wonderful isn’t?” said Meg. “This garden.”
Hercules found something quite odd. The sun had completely descended and everything should have been dark. But it wasn’t. The garden and all the plants in it seemed to glow. It wasn’t a very apparent glow, for you had to look hard to notice it at all. But it was a glow powerful enough to allow him to see wherever he went.
What was an apparent glow was the glow Meg emitted. Meg seemed like a great God as she walked around with a bright light emanating from her. This made Hercules all the more fascinated with her.
“Yes,” replied Hercules, surprised by her suddenly intrusion. “I must admit that I have seen nothing like this in all of my life—in all of Greece. Yes, well this is a special place just as you are special Hercules.”
“Tell me, what brought you here?” asked Hercules. “Have you always lived here?”
Meg sighed. “I have not. For a long period of time I lived on the Greek mainland. You see, Hercules, I was once adamant that humanity could be saved, that the world of Greece was worth fighting for. I even snuck into the army with the belief that love and hope was real in the Greek world. But I found that this was not true.”
“I refuse to believe that is true,” replied Hercules. “I believe in love. I doubt anything could make me not believe in it.”
Meg let a happy smile slip. She had been a wraith so long, and under Hades’ banner, that she had very much forgot about belief and love and to see this suddenly made her a little happier, at least for a moment.
Suddenly she watched as Hercules pulled out a flower from the ground and handed it to Meg. “I certainly believe in love here.”
Meg smiled and took the flower. She stared down at it, and then watched as Hercules moved off through the garden with great delight. He was thrilled by every tree, bush, and rock and wanted to explore it all, although it was getting late and both Pegasus and Hercules were getting tired.
Meg invited Hercules to sleep in Meg’s house, but he refused. He didn’t feel it right and instead found a tree to sleep under. For several minutes he sat against the tree and pondered upon the situation he found himself in, for nothing was as he had expected. Hercules expected to go up to the garden to find a trap, some evil woman from the seventh circle of hell. But instead he found, not an evil woman, but a woman who was quite the opposite. This made Hercules even more confused. Why would Hades send him up here? He would never actually send him up here to help someone, would he? The only way Hercules figured this would be possible is if he simply wanted to get Hercules out of the way so he could wage a war or work evil throughout the world without him knowing. But Hades promised not to wage a war or corrupt the outside world while he was gone. So he didn’t see any apparent downside.
This was the ending of the first day. And shortly would begin the second day.
******
Meg spent the evening much of the evening staring out over the garden. She looked down at the yellow flower Hercules had given to Meg. Although it didn’t take much work to get the flower, it was a wonderful act of kindness that made her feel good. It was spontaneous, a spontaneous action that signified his developing feelings for her.
From what she had seen of Hercules so far he seemed like a wonderful gentleman and someone she didn’t like to deceive. But she knew that she had no choice.
You see, I feel it is time that you, the reader, should now know much more about Meg and her history, her dark history, for at this time her mind drifted back to the offer Hades made to her.
Hades made the offer to Meg immediately after Hercules accepted Hades’ offer to go to the island. There Hades smiled and said to himself, “I will put her in a fantastic living garden, a garden that I have bought and paid for these long years. The great life of the garden will cover up her deadness! And I will use some of my great God-power to make her appear beautiful, as she was in her former time!”
Meg was a unique wraith—one that Hades knew would be ideal to enact his great plan. For one, Meg was by far the most beautiful of all the souls he had ever captured. In addition, she
had experienced firsthand the deception long ago of a man, and thus her hatred against men would be ideal for his purposes.
Hades approached his grand arena and lifted his hands into the air. “My great Megara! Come forth, for Hades does now call you and you must obey!”
The other laborers there stopped working, looked up at Hades, and then looked around for Meg to appear. A few moments passed and then Hades saw her appear move down the center corridor. She wobbled forward. Her skin was dark and her hair moldy and stuck to her body and what rags of clothing she had left. She carried in her hand a large steel rod that she used to pound into the rock wall. Once she looked and saw Hades she tossed the rod away to the ground and moved towards him.
“Yes, come my Meg! I have a special assignment for you!”
*******
After he said this Meg entered Hades’ high throne room in magical chains. There, he looked on the woman. She looked terrible, as all of Hades’ wraiths did. Her once smooth black hair was no longer black, but a dark, moldy brown, and was brittle and crinkled together in blotches. Her face was covered with a thick soot and dust from her continual work in the underworld tunnels. Her hands and skin was cracked and rough. The only thing she had on was a ruffled up, tattered dress that was torn in several places.
Hades stopped staring down at his globe and turned over to look at the woman. He instantly put on a fake smile and extended his arms. “Megara! How wonderful to see you? I see that your work in the tunnels has made you stronger, and your skin much tougher. You don’t mind if I don’t touch you though right? Although I must do it I do not like the feel of human skin. Human skin, in comparison with my eternal, flawless skin, is so weak and feeble.”
“What do you want Hades?” asked Meg.
“Megara, the most fair wraith of all, I have a wonderful task for you!”
“I am no longer interested in any of your tasks, but the one I now do, in the deep and dark depths of your underworld!”
“Huh, well you really haven’t even given it a shot,” replied Hades. “Don’t you at least want to know what it is, what grand task I have for you?”
“No,” replied Meg again.
“Well, perhaps I may do something that may change your mind,” said Hades. There Hades pointed his staff right in front of her face. At first Meg thought that he would kill her, but he did not. Instead, he sent a soft beam of magical light that miraculously healed her entire body. No longer did she wear old, torn brown rags as clothes. No longer was her hair a faded brown. No longer was her skin dried and cracked. Instead, she was her most beautiful self, appearing as a great angel. She felt life come into her again. She stood in front of Hades, arrayed in a fine black dress. Her skin was a light tan, so smooth and delicate. Her hair was a beautiful, smooth dark reddish-brown. Her shoes were nothing but black sandals.
Immediately after Hades did this her expression immediately changed. She ran her hands through her hair and all around her body. She felt her brand new clothes and her smooth skin.
“Meg! My darling Meg!” said Hades cheerfully. “Does it not feel good to have your old form?” Meg looked back at Hades, but did not reply. Hades approached her and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. “All of these years, you know, I have been your biggest fan…I have been hoping desperately for a way to free you…to set your beautiful soul on some unsuspecting man who will get quite a gift!”
Meg snarled. She knew Hades was sucking up to her because he wanted something. “What do you want?” asked Meg.
“Well, we don’t have to get down to the nitty and gritty right now…but I…want…” Hades suddenly hit a button on the globe that revealed an image of Hercules flying on Pegasus’ back. “Hercules! Son of Zeus and Hera…forever in my grasp!”
“And you think I can help capture him for you…the son of the greatest Gods in the universe.”
“They are not the greatest Gods!” retorted Hades, temporarily getting very angry. It took him a few moments before he calmed down. “No, my dear Meg, I do not ‘think’ you can help me capture him…” He smiled insidiously. “I know you can!”
“And why Hades, would I help you, the man who made me lose everything that I loved?” said Meg.
Hades smiled. “Because I can give you the two things that you love most in the world—you’re old, beautiful form and your freedom.”
Meg paused. She couldn’t imagine how it would be to finally be free and have the ultimate form, her old form.
Meg was suddenly silent. “I will place you on the island of Corfu amidst a brilliant garden created by my magic—called the garden of Alcinous. There, on the island to the west of the Greek mainland, I will send Hercules. All you have to do is find out Hercules’ weakness and tell it to me. Once I know Hercules’ weakness your job will be complete and you will be granted your old form and freedom—to live in the garden paradise of Alcinous evermore. Of course, there is a technicality. You must sign this contract.”
You see, for all very important, complex, and binding deals that Hades did, where one party promised to do something and then he promised to do something in return, in order to make it eternally binding, Meg knew he needed an official contract and a signature. Hades suddenly pulled out a large, shiny piece of paper, a type of old magical scroll. “You must promise to do this, or else you will return to your old duty and form…”
Meg knew of Hades’ evil and of his divisive deals. She searched the contract to find anything that Hades did not disclose to her. But to her there seemed to be no downside. She knew that things could not get worse for her since she was already Hades’ servant. She watched as Hades sent a small beam of magic towards her finger, causing it to bleed slightly. “Just sign this contract Meg in blood, and through it you may gain back all you have lost. You may have what you want—paradise. You must promise that you will never reveal me as your true salvation giver!”
Meg looked up at Hades and then back down to the contract. For so many years she had slaved as a servant in Hades’ dark underworld and this seemed like the only way out. So she did it, she signed paper with her blood.
Now I must take you back to a time long before this, a dark time that would lead to Meg becoming Hades’ dark servant, for it is in this time when her heart would be shattered like no other.
Long ago Meg was in love with a great man, a man of industry and war. so named Leocrates. Then her heart was not so hard and her face not so weary looking. But it was then, in her innocent state of mind, that she let her love carry her away to do things that she shouldn’t have done.
Many women loved this great warrior, but Meg felt that she deserved him more than any others. So what did she do? In order to be with him, to learn more about him and how to win his heart, she enlisted in the same army with him as the commander. She was in battle and saw him fight with so much strength. She was convinced that he was the one. Then, one night, she saw him leave his armies and go off into the woods alone. She thought this suspicious, but she followed him. It was there in the woods she saw him associate with a dark figure—Hades. It was here that she saw Hades for the first time. She watched as a conversation took place. Hades spoke saying,
“Leocrates, you have been evil of late! Your soldiers do feel your pain as do you. You feel guilt and this has made you a worse fighter. But now you have no God to go to now that Zeus is gone!”
“It appears that I am dealing with a force that I cannot defeat. What do you want?” asked Leocrates, nearly in tears and on his knees. “What may I do that I may release this terrible feeling of guilt and better be able to fight?”
“You must give yourself to me,” said Hades, cheerfully. “Bind yourself to me! I will take your sins upon me for the price of your soul!”
The man paused a moment. “I feel a terrible burden of guilt and sin, but I will not give my soul to you. There must be another way to purge myself and I will find it.” And so Meg’s love wandered away from Hades that night, determined to find a way, in his pride and by himself to rid hi
mself of this stain of sin on his heart.
But in this moment Meg had, what she thought, was a brilliant idea. “Let me go to Hades and make him a deal, a way that I may relieve the guilt of sin from my love, thus proving to him my great devotion.” So Meg, in her zeal and ignorance, went to Hades and said, “Hades, great God of the Underworld, do you fear a woman?”
Hades laughed and answered, “No I do not, but what is wanted? Have you been watching that which has occurred between Leocrates and I?”
“Yes,” she replied. “I have seen what has occurred between you and him and I demand that you hear my deal. I promise to give you my soul if you promise to relinquish all feelings of guilt and sin from Leocrates.”
Hades was surprised by this offer, for never before had he seen the love of a mortal so strong. Hades was also very pleased, for he knew of the evil of Leocrates. He knew that, even after Meg’s great demonstration of love, he would not love her or be with her. “Very well, it is a deal! I will take upon myself the sins of your love Leocrates. But you must give your soul to me to do what I desire.” So there Meg signed, with her own blood, Hades’ contract.
But what followed hereafter was a woe to behold. Hades laughed and said, “Now, before you come to me to be my servant, go to your love and tell him all that you did for him so that he might save you!” Of course, Hades knew that her love could not save her.
Meg did as Hades instructed. She went to his tent and revealed herself to him. He looked surprised for the entire time she fought she wore a disguise. “Meg, what are you doing here? You should not be here at war.”
“I have fought in your army for you!” declared Meg. “I have toiled and labored because of my great love for you. But this is not the greatest thing I have done for you. Do you not feel a burden lifted?”
The man smiled. “As a matter of fact, I do. I feel much lighter and happier now, as if the heavens have shined down on me.”
“Do you feel shame or guilt? Do you suffer needlessly?” asked Meg.
The God of Olympus Page 14
