The God of Olympus

by Matthew Argyle

  Hercules looked down at Meg, who seemed to be getting better quickly. As Hercules touched her hand and arm he watched as her hair returned to normal, her skin looked not so pale, and her eyes lit up brightly. She began to gain strength and the expression in her face changed to joy. Hercules, too, was beginning to feel his old God power return to him and it felt great.

  Meg smiled and looked up into Hercules’ eyes. “So what made you be willing to give up everything for me, a woman you had only known for a short time?”

  Hercules sighed. “I thought about what it would be like for me if you died and it was a world that I never could bear to live in. That was when I knew you were my destiny.”

  Hercules looked up and realized that it was early morning now. The sun was just beginning to rise. Hercules looked over at Pegasus, who seemed to feel better as well. He ran his hands through his feathers. “Thank you, my great steed! You are the greatest friend there can be! But we must be quick and return to Athens! There Philoctetes will need our help! Do you have strength to make that great flight?”

  As always Pegasus was enthusiastic. Pegasus was pleased to and began soaring through the clouds with great strength.

  Chapter 19: Hercules’ Return

  There were many things that Hades had done while Hercules was gone. First, he conquered the rest of Athens as he and his armies slew the Spartan and Athenian warriors, until they surrendered. Hades laughed as he looked at all the warriors held hostage, surrounded by thick chains. “Herakles! Put them into prison! Make them all suffer for their fight against me!”

  Hades then strolled up to Pericles’ palace where he made himself King and declared to all those in the assembly: “A new age has come! The age of Hades and his rule has begun! Either you will pledge yourself to me or you will die! You have one day to decide!” Hades tried to give them a time limit because he did not know when Hercules would return, and this seemed to plague his mind.

  There, in the great throne room in Athens, Hades paced around. Herakles and Ares, the leader of the fallen heroes and fallen Gods respectively, both waited for Hades’ command. “This Hercules has evaded my presence. In some way the sacrifice of his parents Zeus and Hera allowed Hercules to gain back his God power. This was some devilish magic that I could not foresee or predict. I do not know when this is, but he shall certain return and we cannot allow things to be as they were—as a great, eternal war of the Gods!”

  Hades dispatched his flying servants, except his great dragon, to fly across the land in search for Hercules. “Find him!” yelled Hades. He then watched as they all scattered away chaotically through the air like bats. Of course, deep down Hades knew that his flying servants were no match against Hercules the God. But in having his flying servants go abroad searching for Hercules he could at least continue to instill fear on Greece, keep his flying servants busy, and perhaps find out a little more about Hercules’ whereabouts.

  The rest of the day nobody seemed to dare rebel against Hades and his dominion, especially with his great black dragon lingering over the city. You see, the dragon had made his home comfortably on the top of the hill of Athens, the Acropolis. There the dragon watched what occurred in Athens.

  Hope, it appeared, had descended that day with the setting of the sun.

  However, that night, after Zeus and Hera were killed by Hades, Philoctetes did what he did best—hide. He placed his hood over his head and found places to hide himself as Hades and his men roamed the city. It was a great period of sadness for Athens, but Philoctetes would no longer just hide.

  In secret, that night, Philoctetes knocked out several of the guards surrounding the palace prison and released many of the Athenian and Spartan warriors left, including Milo. Milo saw Philoctetes and with joy said, “Thank you my friend!” Philoctetes instructed Milo and his men to keep quiet and secretly open another prison, releasing all the men he could.

  Milo obeyed his orders and throughout the rest of that night prisons were secretly being opened, by men that Philoctetes had released. Philoctetes ordered Milo and all the men he had released to meet outside of the city of Athens for secret meeting. He obeyed.

  Once outside of the city, Philoctetes made his boldest move yet. He declared before all the people: “Hercules is alive and he is not, contrary to what Pericles has said, a traitor. He has gone to Hades’ underworld to get a person he loves, but he will be back! Hope shall return! But in the meantime we must fight Hades! We must fight for all we hold dear—for all the loved ones that he has killed!”

  But then someone shouted up from the crowd. “Who are you to lead us? Why not remove your hood and show us who you are?”

  Philoctetes nodded. He realized that now the time had come. “Very well…” He tore his hood from off of his face and everyone saw his hideousness. At first there was only silence, but then there were some evil moans.

  “He is hideous!” exclaimed one person in the crowd. “He is a creature of the devil!”

  Another person said, “We cannot follow him into battle! He has horns like a beast!”

  Then Milo stepped forward and yelled to the people to silence them. “This man is Philoctetes, the greatest trainer of heroes that has man has ever known!” exclaimed Milo, as he placed his hand on Philoctetes’ shoulder. “This man has led hundreds of heroes into battle, and he has experience in fighting Hades. This man trained Hercules himself and it is because of Philoctetes that we are not stuck in our own prisons. I don’t know about all of you, but I will follow Philoctetes!”

  Suddenly there was a great silence in the assembly. Everyone looked back and forth and didn’t know what to think. Many, if not all of them, looked up to Milo and knew him as the great Olympic warrior. One man broke the silence when stepped forth and said, “I will follow Philoctetes.”

  One by one everyone within the assembly cheered for Philoctetes as their military leader. Then they all slept for a few hours and prepared to gain their strength for, what they knew would be the last great battle of their age.

  Before the battle was to occur Philoctetes ordered twelve warriors to go to the cities to the north and south and gather as many people and could come to fight.

  Early in the morning Philoctetes looked over all the armies assembled and said to Milo, “We must hope that there is a destiny controlled by a force even greater than the Gods we worship. Milo, quickly, get your men together to fight, one last resistance!”

  It was about nine in the morning, when Ares approached one of the prisons, that he found the prison empty. He quickly had his Gods search all the prisons but they were all empty. He rushed up to inform Hades, where he found Hades in his throne room. “Hades! I bring grave news!”

  “What now?” replied Hades.

  “Sir, the prisoners…the ones left from the battle,” said Ares. “They have all escaped.”

  “What! How is this possible?”

  “Some people say that they saw a devilish hooded creature jumping on rooftops and through alleyways. You were too arrogant. You should have placed more men to guard the prisons.”

  “Nevertheless, we shall still have our victory!” exclaimed Hades. He then suddenly turned around and on his patio, facing the center of the city, saw an army of Greek warrior before his palace. People have gathered on the housetops.

  On top of a broken statue, in the center of the group, stood Philoctetes, with his hood removed. Hades looked insidiously at this part man, part creature and immediately knew he must have been the one that released the prisoners. “Who are you?” declared Hades.

  Philoctetes laughed and yelled loudly, loud enough for Hades and everyone there to hear. “Who am I? Do you not remember me from so long ago? I am Philoctetes, the trainer of heroes, a man who for so long was forced to dwell on a cursed island with a cursed form. It was I who so long ago opposed your rule! And it was I who trained Hercules! And it is I who will make you pay for what evil you have done, for what good lives you have taken!”

  Hades suddenly realized who Philoctet
es was. Only, before, he knew him as a great handsome man and leader. Now he looked more like a goat. Hades laughed. “It was you that was bitten by my snake after the great war of heroes, wasn’t it? It was you that was forced to run back for your own life and tell everyone of your own failure! You were to raise up heroes that could defeat me! Well, no heroes can defeat me! I thought you would have learned your lesson!”

  “We are all here because we believe in freedom and we will see your rule come to a speedy end!”

  Hades laughed. “Not likely!” Suddenly Hades pointed his staff down at Philoctetes and fired a powerful blast of magic. But Philoctetes anticipated this and jumped up and to the ground just in time, as he walked the statue blasted to bits. Then the final battle began.

  Ares and Hades’ other fallen Gods quickly burst into the streets and began fighting. Herakles and many other fallen heroes came from the other side and began fighting Milo and his men. Then Hades’ great dragon lifted himself up into the air and began diving down on Philoctetes’ men. Even Hades moved into the city to fight.

  Philoctetes fought valiantly against Hades. Milo fought against Herakles. The battle there was several hours long because more and more soldiers came into the city from other cities on the Greek mainland to fight for Philoctetes. It was the late afternoon, after much fire, destruction, and desolation on both sides, that Hades swung his staff at Philoctetes and cut his side. Then he swung his staff at Philoctetes and flung him back towards the ground. Philoctetes was in pain, but managed to stand up.

  All of Philoctetes’ men, now of whom were no more than two hundred, were trapped, surrounded by Hades’ men. It was then that Hades’ dragon appeared above them, who could extinguish then with one billowing breathe of fire.

  But it was here that Hades motioned for his men to stop. “It is over Philoctetes!” exclaimed Hades. “Like before, you have failed. But if you join me your lives will be spared!”

  Philoctetes could not move, but Milo moved forward and spat into the ground. “We shall never surrender!”

  “Very well. You have all chosen death!” exclaimed Hades. He then motioned for the dragon to unleash a great ball of fire on those who remained.

  But then, before it was all over, everyone looked to the sky and saw a bright, flying white creature. It soared through the sky so elegantly and gallantly. Milo and Philoctetes both smiled. Milo saw that it was Hercules, riding his great steed. “It is Hercules!” exclaimed Milo. “Hercules has returned!” People throughout Philoctetes’ small army cheered. They watched as Pegasus landed up on top of the Parthenon. Hercules dismounted Pegasus and lifted his sword up in the air. This time he was clothed in great armor.

  Hades laughed. “It is but one God!”

  “Not one!” yelled Hercules, with a voice loud enough that it seemed to ring throughout the city. Suddenly Hades looked all around as, one by one, great Gods began manifesting themselves. From a distance Hades watched as Athena, who glowed bright, stepped upon the ground next to the Parthenon.

  Athena wore a tight, bright white gown. On top of her head was a helmet with a colorful red feather. In her right hand she carried a golden spear.

  Then Hades watched as more Gods began appearing next to her. First, the great Poseidon, arrayed in his greenish-blue robe and holding his great trident, moved forward next to Athena. Then, on the other side of Athena emerged Meg, having armor and a sword of her own. Then came Apollo, next to Meg. Apollo had no shirt, but had a yellow cloth around his hips. He had a bow and quiver over his left shoulder and a white staff in his right hand. Then, next to Apollo appeared Aphrodite. Aphrodite was arrayed in a red rode and held no weapon but her own beauty. Then appeared Demeter, who had a golden sword in her hand and wore a dark green robe that covered almost all of her body.

  Then came Artemis. She was clothed in a bright white silk cloth. She had a bow with poison arrows. There was even Asclepius, the god of healing. He had a white robe and a wooden staff. Once all these Gods manifested themselves on the top hill in Athens Hades seemed enraged.

  Philoctetes saw these people and cheered, saying, “The Great Gods have come—come before the end!”

  Then Athena declared, “Hades, we have come to bring justice and peace to the surrender! You are surrounded by great and powerful Gods! Will you surrender?”

  “I will never surrender!”

  Athena turned and then said, “Very well!”

  What Hades saw next was to disturb him even more. Apollo sent a blast of light up into the heavens, which pushed away all the clouds and let the light of the sun beat down upon the city. Apollo’s light seemed to be so great that it temporarily scared or blinded Hades’ dragon (as he was not used to a light so bright as the sun), as Hades’ dragon flew away from Athens, to hide behind the wall in the darkness.

  Artemis drew her bow, raised her hands, and suddenly many different animals appeared behind her. She motioned for all her animals to charge Hades and his men.

  The rest of the Gods then began to their great charge down into the city.

  Hercules sat upon the top of the Temple of Athena and kept his sword raised as a symbol to the people.

  Fighting began in the streets and Hermes flew through the battlefield to give Philoctetes and Milo a very important message. There Hermes bowed and said, “I bring an important message from Hercules! He has told me to tell you to evacuate all your men to the high ground of the Acropolis. He says that he has something special planned for them.”

  It infuriated Hades seeing Hercules on the top of the Parthenon that he turned to his commander Ares, as said, “You fight down here. I am going to take care of Hercules once and for all!”

  Hades moved through the city and appeared before his great dragon, who hid his head behind the wall. “Come! Fear not the light! We must destroy Hercules!” His dragon had no choice but to obey and so Hades mounted his dragon and he flew up towards Hercules, who stood on top of the Parthenon.

  Hercules watched as Hades and his dragon came towards him. He quickly turned to Pegasus and leapt on top of him. “Be prepared for what will come Pegasus!”

  Pegasus could have been intimidated by a massive dragon approaching him, but he was not. He was confident and brave.

  Hercules watched as Hades’ dragon sent a powerful ball of fire right at Pegasus, but Pegasus quickly shot away and barely dodged the attempt to kill him. “Pegasus is fast Hades and will defeat your dragon just as I will defeat you!”

  “Never!”

  The two flew at each other. Hercules had his sword extended. Hercules’ sword collided with Hades’ staff.

  Hades looked up at Hercules, who flew gallantly up in the sky, and laughed. “Ha! He thinks that he can challenge me! He cannot face me…” Hades suddenly mounted his fierce dragon and flew up into the sky.

  Pegasus looked at the great dragon that he was to face, not with fear, but with hope. The great dragon fired a blast of hot fire at Pegasus, but Pegasus moved just in time.

  Hades did not realize that Pegasus was made, at least in part, from the clouds and thus had a greater advantage the higher in the sky they went. And Pegasus flew higher and higher, to the point where the air was so thin that Hercules could hardly breathe. Hades, and his dragon for that matter, were now lost as to where Pegasus was, as he shot up and down through clouds everywhere. Then suddenly, while both Hades and the dragon were stalled, looking for them, Hercules and Pegasus appeared below the dragon. Hercules jabbed his sword into the chest of the great dragon. The dragon immediately let out a great screech in pain, flapped his wings around in pain, and slashed its claws at the sword. But by then Hercules had already pulled the sword out. Hercules looked down at the sword, now covered in a black blood. The dragon took another swing and swatted Hercules’ sword out of his hand and away to the ground. Hercules looked down at his falling sword for only a moment, but a moment was enough for the terrifying dragon to slash at Pegasus. His great claws sliced Pegasus’ side and his fierce stallion screamed in pain. Both Pegasus
and Hades’ dragon were so injured now that they could not sustain themselves in the air and both began falling downward, through the clouds towards the ground.

  In the air Hercules tried to get underneath Pegasus to help ease the pain of the fall. And he did save Pegasus’ life, for Pegasus was still alive after the fall.

  Hades, however, did not do the same with his dragon. He rode his dragon all the way down, wanting his dragon to take the majority of the hit in the fall.

  People on both sides of the battlefield suddenly stopped fighting and watched as both Hades and Hercules and their great steeds were falling down through the sky. Both Hercules and Hades hit the ground in nearly the same spot—directly through the roof of the Parthenon.

  Meg looked up towards where Hercules was, but saw Pegasus and the dragon falling down towards the ground. “Hercules!” she yelled. Of course, her heart felt something was wrong and she rushed up to be with him.

  When Hades got up of the ground he looked around and felt a little dazed. He was surprised at this. He then looked back at his dragon, now dead, and then over to Hercules. “You killed my dragon, the fiercest creature in the world!”

  “I assure you, I am the not the one who killed him…you are the one who killed him, by letting him die!”

  While Hercules and Pegasus had been fighting Hades and his dragon, and once all of Philoctetes’ men had scrambled far enough up Acropolis field, Poseidon lifted up his trident and caused the water from the western sea to hurl upon the land. This was a grand moment of triumph as the water lifted itself above all of Hades’ warriors who fought in Athens. Gradually the water washed away the filth of Hades.

  Hades looked down to behold the water washing away the remnants of his forces. He looked back at Hercules.

  Meg looked around and it seemed that they had won the battle. The water touched her feet but nothing more. Hades’ men, at least the ones alive, were retreating now, away from the massive rush of water and their great Gods were working wonders on the battlefield. Waters lingered all over the ground and Apollo’s light came down from above.