Last Hero

by Timothy D. McLendon

Danny held his side and fell back. “I don’t want to hurt you! Stop!”

  Kevin charged for Danny.

  Danny threw out his arms and let a ball of energy shoot at Kevin.

  The impact hit Kevin and lifted him a foot off the ground. His body flew backward then hit the mud and slid through it. Kevin didn’t move.

  Danny stood over Kevin. “This isn’t about us. Becky’s life is in danger. I need your help.”

  “Becky?” Kevin turned his head from side to side like he was conflicted and weighing his options. Danny had no idea how Kevin had powers or even why Kevin was after him. Whatever their differences were, it didn’t matter right now.

  Kevin sat up and put out an arm like he wanted Danny to help him up. Danny didn’t trust Kevin, but he did trust that Kevin wanted to protect Becky. He grabbed Kevin’s arm and pulled him up.

  “For Becky,” Kevin said.

  CHAPTER 22

  THE BEAST AND THE FIRE

  DANNY STEPPED into the heart of the corn maze with Kevin by his side. The air was damp and cold. They stared at the mountain of a man with the head of a bull swinging a battle axe over his head. Three of the girls were lined up on one side of the corn stalks. The other four were separated on the opposite side. It would be easy to chop their heads off if they ran for the exits. They all cried and screamed. All of them but Becky.

  The beast swung his axe in a wide arc, narrowly missing the girls’ necks.

  Danny motioned for Kevin to help the girls on the left hand side of the maze. He’d protect the girls on the right. He knew they could get there faster than the beast could swing.

  Becky wrapped her arms around Danny when he joined her. “Thank God,” she said. “Go get him, Danny.”

  The beast swung his axe toward Kevin. Kevin leaned back before the blade could decapitate him.

  “Hey!” Danny shouted.

  The beast turned and raised his arm to swing the axe at Danny.

  The power surged through Danny’s body. He threw out his arms and fired a ball of energy at the monster.

  The beast swung his axe and deflected the energy ball. It shot back toward Danny.

  The ball slammed into Danny’s gut, and sent him sailing back through the corn stalks. He crashed on his back. Danny stood and brushed himself off. He was unharmed, but it felt like electricity snapped at his body. There had to be another way to stop the monster. He raced back into the opening.

  The beast was closer to Becky now. It would be impossible for him to miss. He swung for her head.

  “NO!” Danny shouted.

  Kevin raced from the opposite side and covered Becky with his body.

  Blood flew through the air when the blade slashed through Kevin’s back. He collapsed on top of Becky.

  Danny couldn’t move. He couldn’t stop the beast. He couldn’t save his friends. The beast had just killed Kevin as he saved Becky’s life. All of the girls were screaming.

  The beast roared in victory and stood over Kevin with his blade raised above his head. Becky was still beneath Kevin.

  Remember your training, Danny heard Aria’s voice say in his head.

  Danny reached into his backpack and pulled out the sword base Aria had given him. He was supposed to do something with this. It was something Arete had said before she walked away.

  When the time is right, use my fire.

  Danny felt the power rage through his body and waved a hand over the sword base. A flame shot up from the base to form a complete sword. A fire sword.

  Danny raced out of the corn stalks and swung the fire sword at the Minotaur’s neck at the same time the Minotaur swung his axe down at Kevin and Becky. The sword sliced the Minotaur’s head off with the axe still in the air.

  The Minotaur’s head plopped off and fell before disappearing with its body. It just evaporated like it never existed.

  The six girls ran screaming through the maze.

  “Where is he?” Becky said. “Where is Mr. Mino?”

  Danny knew exactly where the Minotaur was now. The same place it was before sixteen years ago. “Tartarus.”

  BECKY CRADLED Kevin in her arms. She held Kevin’s head in her lap and cried. Blood trickled from his lips.

  “I’m sorry,” Kevin whispered. He looked up at Danny. “This is all my fault.” His voice was broken.

  “Don’t talk,” Becky said. “Everything’s going to be okay. No one can hurt me now. You saved me.”

  Kevin cried. “I don’t wanna die.”

  Becky held him close and rocked him. “Shhhhh.”

  Danny felt powerless again. He was supposed to be the protector of the universe, but he couldn’t even save his former friend. If it hadn’t been for Kevin, Becky would be dead. Danny wasn’t sure if Kevin had the ability to heal himself. And who knows? All seven of the girls could have been dead. And what had he become? He had just killed a man. It wasn’t right. Things couldn’t be any worse right now.

  “We meet again, Alexandros Helen.” Danny watched as a familiar body stepped out of the cornstalks. The tallest man he had ever seen.

  Ty pushed Becky away and clutched Kevin’s shoulders. “You failed me,” he said to Kevin. “You won’t need this anymore.” His head shot back like he had been shocked and was absorbing Kevin’s power.

  “That’s the stuff,” Ty said with a new surge of energy. He stood and cracked his neck from side to side.

  Danny shot his arms out and prepared to attack Ty again. He knew how to use his powers now. Ty would not get up this time.

  Ty grabbed Becky and held her in front of him with an arm around her neck. “I wouldn’t do that.”

  “Get him, Danny,” Becky said, choking.

  By the darkness in Ty’s eyes, he wouldn’t hesitate to snap Becky’s neck. Danny took a deep breath and lowered his arms. “Don’t hurt her. I’m right here. Do whatever you want to me.”

  “That’s sweet,” Ty said. “Pathetic, but sweet. The boy wants to be a hero.” He laughed and backed toward the cornstalks. “But not here. Meet us at the big red barn Alexandros. We’ll find out what you’re made of.”

  Ty turned and pushed Becky through the wall of corn stalks with him. Danny raced after them and jumped toward the wall.

  The wall turned blue and Danny crashed into it like it was a brick wall. His body slammed into the mud. “What in the world?” He stood and touched the wall. His hand shot away from it like it was an electrical fence.

  “Get her back,” Kevin said. “You’ve got to get her back.”

  Danny looked down at Kevin. He was lying in a pool of blood and barely breathing.

  “I can’t do this alone,” Danny said. His old friend was about to die. The love of his life was in the hands of an evil monster. He couldn’t protect his parents. He looked up into the sky and focused on the hidden stars by Polaris. He remembered his birth parents were watching over him.

  “Help me!” Danny shouted at the stars.

  CHAPTER 23

  PARENTAL ADVICE

  THE SKY lit up like a flash of sheet lighting, and the two undiscovered stars reappeared. Energy shot out from the stars at the speed of light toward Danny.

  Two bodies appeared in front of Danny—one male and one female. They weren’t much older than him.

  “Look at him,” the female said. “He’s amazing.” She smiled and giggled like Danny was the most incredible thing she had ever seen.

  “Hello, son,” the man said. His voice was powerful.

  Danny felt weak and powerless, like a child. He knew these were his birth parents, and he wanted to ask them a million questions. But he knew time was limited.

  “My friend is dying,” Danny said, pointing at Kevin. “You have to save him.”

  His birth mother put a hand on his birth father’s shoulder. “He’s selfless. Just like his father.”

  His birth father nodded. “Demigods heal faster than humans, son.”

  Danny motioned toward Kevin. “He’s human.”

  His birth father stepped
up to him. “And you’re a demigod.” His voice was overpowering. “You can heal him.”

  “But how?”

  His birth father stepped back. “You’ve done this before.” His body began to fade.

  “We’re proud of you,” his birth mother said. Her body began to fade, too.

  “Wait! I don’t understand!”

  “Hold your friends close,” she said.

  Danny couldn’t make sense out of what they told him. And now they were leaving. He wanted to spend more time with them. He didn’t have any answers.

  “Please don’t leave,” Danny said.

  “We love you, son,” his birth mother said.

  “Trust Mr. Silen,” his birth father said. “Let him be your guide.”

  The sky flashed again, and they were gone.

  DANNY STOOD over Kevin’s nearly lifeless body. If Kevin’s chest didn’t move up and down then anyone would think he was dead. Danny knew how to save him now because of what his birth mother said.

  Hold your friends close.

  Danny sat in the mud behind Kevin and pulled Kevin’s head into his lap. He remembered the cafeteria and what he had done with Bianca. Whatever happened to Bianca? Danny wrapped his hands around Kevin’s cold arms and held him close like he was warming his body. The energy built up in his body. He focused his energy on Kevin.

  After a few minutes, Kevin jumped out of Danny’s lap. “What are you doing?”

  Danny laughed. It worked!

  Kevin spun around and searched the corn maze walls. “Where’s Becky?”

  Danny stood and shook his head.

  “Typhon has her, man,” a familiar voice said, walking into the maze behind Kevin. It was Mr. Silen with Mr. Griffin by his side. “We don’t have much time.”

  Danny nodded at Mr. Silen. “My birth father trusted you, so I trust you.”

  Mr. Silen nodded back. “I have a couple of things in mind.” He took his teashade glasses off and looked at Danny with his bright green eyes. “Gods can do pretty much anything. They’re awesome like that.” He looked at Kevin. “Even give power back to those who have lost it.”

  “I’m not a god,” Danny said. “I can’t do all the things gods can.”

  Mr. Griffin whistled. “Who you are today is exactly who you believe you are, young lad. Who you are tomorrow is who you believe you’ll become.”

  “I’ll do whatever it takes.” Danny would give up his life to save Becky. No matter the cost, he would save her.

  Kevin stood next to Danny. “Me too.”

  “It’s time to get off the train, young lad,” Mr. Griffin said. “You’ve reached your destination.”

  CHAPTER 24

  SHOWDOWN AT THE BIG RED BARN

  DANNY STARED at the big red barn. “You don’t have to do this,” he said to Kevin.

  Kevin stood by his side and stared with him. “Yes I do.” He put a hand on Danny’s shoulder. “Are you sure this is gonna work?”

  Danny nodded. “It has to.” He stepped forward and headed for the barn entrance. The plan wasn’t perfect but he would do whatever he had to do to save Becky. Mr. Silen had advised him to use his power to give Kevin his power back. So he did. Kevin had sworn to use it only to help save Becky.

  Danny froze when they entered the barn and held Kevin back. Kevin’s body tensed as they looked upon Becky’s body strung up with chains hanging from the barn ceiling. She was ten feet off the ground.

  “Let’s have a chat, Alexandros,” Ty said, standing beside Becky now. On the other side of Becky were Frog Lady, Snake Lady, and the Sphinx.

  “I thought she was dead,” Kevin said to Danny, pointing to the Sphinx.

  The Sphinx laughed. “Human weapons cannot hurt gods or monsters. I have a riddle for you, Kevin Skinner.”

  “No thanks.”

  “What’s black and blue and bloody all over? I’ll give you a hint: it’s you after I tear you apart.”

  Ty held out a hand for the Sphinx to be silent. “I’m going to make this easy for you, Alexandros.” He looked up at Becky. “Her life or your life.”

  Danny knew he wouldn’t hesitate to give up his life for Becky’s. But it wouldn’t do any good. If Ty killed him then Ty would get all of his powers back and wipe out the world.

  “Let go of me,” Kevin said. ”We can take them.”

  Snake Lady hissed and laughed. “You can’t beat us. There’s only one god in this room.” She nodded at her husband Ty. “Besides, there are four of us and only two of you.”

  “Make that three,” a female’s voice said from behind Danny.

  “No,” Frog Lady screamed. “You’ll be meatloaf next week.”

  A teenage female with a bouncy ponytail stepped next to Danny’s side and crossed her arms. Mr. Silen had brought her here. It was the school’s reporter Bianca.

  Danny shot a ball of energy at Ty. “Keep them away from Becky,” he shouted at Kevin and Bianca. They raced toward the monsters.

  Danny’s feet lifted off the ground. Ty held a hand out toward his body and balled his hand into a fist. Danny felt like his body was being crushed.

  From here he could see Becky. She was still safe. Kevin and Bianca must have contained the monsters.

  “Get him, Danny,” he could see Becky mouth to him.

  Energy was building inside him again. He yelled and threw his arms out. He broke free of the invisible hold Ty had on him. He shot out his arms and fired ball after ball at Ty.

  Ty waved his hands from side to side and deflected the energy balls. The energy fired like cannon balls in every direction, busting holes into the barn walls and knocking over farming tools.

  Danny ran toward him with balls still shooting out.

  Ty deflected them at record speed.

  Danny stopped in front of Ty, and the energy built in him stronger than it had before. A ball of energy the size of his body formed in front of him. He pushed it forward to take Ty out once and for all.

  Ty held out his hands and pushed the ball back. It was suspended between them now, both of them pushing with all of their might, knowing that whoever lost would be sent to Tartarus.

  “Danny!” Becky shouted.

  Danny turned and saw the Sphinx jab a pitchfork into Becky’s side. The huge ball of energy hit Danny and sent him flying back through the barn walls.

  Danny couldn’t move. His body felt numb, paralyzed. He was too late. Becky would be dead.

  “Gods and monsters can’t die by human weapons,” Ty said, standing over him. “But humans can. What a shame.”

  Ty reached down and pulled something out of Danny’s backpack. He studied it and smiled. It was the fire sword base. “The gods favor you, but they can’t help you now.”

  Danny laughed. “I’m going to cut your head off.”

  The barn roof crashed in like a meteor hit it. Wood splintered over the entire barn. The massive Griffin swooped in and snatched Becky’s body. He roared and flew off.

  “No!” Ty shouted. “It’s not possible!”

  Danny smiled as the Griffin flew off into the night. Mr. Silen had convinced Danny that he could give power back to those who lost it. He had laid his hands on Mr. Griffin and focused on the man’s internal strength. It took complete concentration, but the result was amazing. Mr. Griffin was now the Griffin again, in all his greatness.

  “Anything’s possible,” Danny said. He was standing behind Ty now. He snatched the sword base from Ty and waved his hand over it. The flame shot out. Danny smirked at Ty’s blank expression and sliced his head off.

  THE GRIFFIN flew back into the barn and lay Becky’s body down. He hovered over her to keep her body warm. She was nearly motionless, but her chest seemed to move up and down every few seconds. Blood gushed from her side where the Sphinx had stabbed her.

  Danny raced to Becky’s side. Kevin and Bianca stood back weeping.

  “No,” Danny said. “Not like this.” He sat behind her with tears in his eyes and held her the same way he had held Kevin and Bianca
. All of his power went into her.

  Her body was as cold as Bianca’s was in the freezer. Her chest wasn’t moving anymore. Danny held her tighter.

  “Please work!”

  Danny felt Kevin put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s too late,” Kevin said. “You did everything you could.”

  Danny stood and shoved Kevin down. “Don’t tell me it’s too late! You don’t know anything!”

  “Danny,” Bianca said. “Do something.”

  “This can’t be it,” Danny cried. He stared down at Becky’s lifeless form. “I don’t know what else to do.”

  Gods can do pretty much anything, Mr. Silen’s voice echoed in Danny’s head. They’re awesome like that.

  Danny huffed. “I’m not a god.”

  Who you are today is exactly who you believe you are, Mr. Griffin’s voice echoed. Danny looked up at the mighty creature hovering over Becky. The Griffin nodded its head and cawed.

  Danny knelt by Becky’s side and squeezed his eyes shut. He inhaled and felt the power build inside him like a volcano. His body quaked as he raised his palms by his sides.

  We’re always there for each other, Becky’s voice echoed.

  The energy exploded from Danny’s hands and appeared as fire shooting out from his palms.

  The Griffin roared.

  Danny opened his eyes and looked back and forth at his hands. He flipped his hands over, with the fire shooting toward Becky’s body.

  He put his hands on Becky’s wounds and let the fire shoot inside of her until he was too weak to sustain it.

  The wounds were gone but Becky didn’t move. Danny looked up at Kevin and Bianca. “It didn’t work. I failed.”

  Bianca had a hand over her mouth.

  Kevin’s eyes were wide.

  Danny looked back down at Becky. Her eyes fluttered and opened. “You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me, Danny Neumann.”

  CHAPTER 25

  FRIENDS FOREVER