by Joan Holub
CHAPTER SIX
Scaredy-Spear
Three cheers for the spear!” Zeus yelled. “Now we don’t have to walk all the way to the Scythian Mountains. We can go rescue Pythia and the rest of the Olympians!”
“Hooray!” cheered Hera, Ares, and Apollo.
“Let’s get moving!” Ares said, jabbing his spear into the air. “I can’t wait to show that rotten snake what the god of war is really made of!”
They quickly got back to the road.
“I can’t believe how easy this was,” Zeus said, feeling more cheerful with each step. “Remember what we went through the get Demeter’s seeds? We had to climb a beanstalk, battle a giant, and run from giant bees. But this time we got the magical object handed right to us!”
“Thanks to my peacock feather,” Hera said proudly, giving it a pat. “I know it’s bringing us good luck.”
Zeus sighed. She kept bringing up that peacock feather every time something good happened. He was getting a little sick of hearing about it. But he knew it would probably just make her mad again if he said anything.
She might be my sister, but most of the time I just don’t get her, he thought.
Ares kept waving the spear around.
“Take that! And that!” he yelled at invisible enemies.
Apollo strummed his lyre, whispering new song lyrics to himself as they walked.
Suddenly Chip, the oval stone that hung on a cord around Hera’s neck, cried out, “Anger-dip! Ronies-Cip ear-nip!”
Chip spoke his own language: Chip Latin. By now all of the Olympians understood it.
“Cronies are near!” Zeus cried. “We need to hide.”
Luckily, they were passing a hay field, and they all found a hiding spot in the tall grass. Zeus dared to peek through it, and saw Otus and Ephialtes plodding up the road toward them.
“We’ve been looking and looking, but no Olympians,” complained Otus.
“I know. My feet hurt!” moaned Ephialtes.
Ares pushed past Zeus. “Now’s my chance to see what this spear can do!” he hissed.
“Ares, wait!” Zeus cried, but the hotheaded Olympian was already running out to the road.
“Behold the Spear of Fear!” he yelled, holding the spear above his head.
Otus and Ephialtes quickly turned toward Ares.
“It’s one of them Olympians!” Otus cried.
The two half-giants stomped in Ares’s direction. As they got closer, Ares took aim and threw the Spear of Fear at them.
“Show them what you can do, spear!” he yelled.
The Spear of Fear wobbled through the air for a few feet, heading toward the Cronies. But to everyone’s surprise, then it boomeranged right back toward Ares and stopped to hover in the air behind his back. All of the Olympians—and even the Cronies—looked on in shock.
“The spear looks like it’s hiding,” Hera whispered to Zeus.
Ares spun around. “Spear! What gives?” He grabbed it and hurled it once again at the Cronies.
The spear just looped around again and hid behind Ares once more, shaking now.
Ephialtes and Otus started to laugh.
“Haw! Haw! Haw!” Ephialtes bellowed. “The little Olympian has got a scaredy-spear.”
Terrified and embarrassed, Ares grabbed the spear, turned, and ran back to join the other Olympians. Then he crashed through the hay and ran right past them.
Zeus raced behind him. “Good idea!”
Hera and Apollo followed them both.
Hera quickly caught up to Zeus. “We’ve got to lose these oafs, or they’ll follow us all the way to Delphi.”
“Right,” Zeus agreed. He skidded to a stop. “I think I know how to slow them down.”
He pulled Bolt from his belt. “Bolt, large!”
The dagger-size lightning bolt exploded to its full length. Zeus aimed it at the hay between the Olympians and the charging Cronies.
Zap! He sent sparks flying at the tall grass, and it burst into flames. The Cronies skidded to a halt.
“No fair!” Otus wailed as the flames leaped up in front of his face.
Grinning, Zeus called for Bolt to return, then ran to catch up to his friends.
“Good work,” Apollo said, turning to him.
“Yeah, that’ll keep those Cronies away,” Hera said. “Of course, you’ll burn down the whole hay field too.”
Zeus felt a pang of guilt. He hadn’t thought of that. “Well, Poseidon can—” he started to say, thinking of his brother’s water powers. But he stopped himself. Poseidon wasn’t there.
“Poseidon’s not the only one who can put out a fire,” Hera said. “Or do I need to remind you of that, Boltbrain?”
Zeus suddenly realized what he could do. “You’re right! Let’s get to a safe place first.”
“Lead us, Chip!” Hera said, looking down at the amulet.
They emerged from the hay field on another dirt path, where Chip had them make a left turn. When they were safely away from the field, Zeus called for them to stop.
“We’re far enough now,” he said. Zeus gazed upward. Puffy clouds were scattered across the sky, and one of them was dark gray. It just might do the trick.
“Bolt, let’s jump-start that storm!” he cried, aiming Bolt at the cloud.
A jagged streak of light shot from Bolt and hit the cloud.
Boom! A loud clap of thunder rocked the sky. Big, fat raindrops began to fall from the cloud.
“Nice job,” Hera admitted.
“Thanks for reminding me that I could make storms,” Zeus said. “I guess I’ve been a little . . . distracted lately.”
He was missing Poseidon and the others so much. It had been amazing to find new brothers and sisters after growing up all alone. Losing them now just didn’t seem fair.
“Spear! Come back here!” Ares yelled behind Zeus.
Zeus turned to see Ares pointing at the Spear of Fear. It had planted itself behind a bush and was shivering.
“I think it’s afraid of the thunder,” Apollo remarked.
“I think it’s afraid of everything,” Hera said. “That’s probably why it’s called the Spear of Fear. It doesn’t strike fear into the hearts of its enemies. It’s just full of fear! Ha! That’s pretty funny.”
“It is not at all funny!” Ares fumed, his eyes blazing red.
Zeus stepped between them. “I think Hera might be right, Ares. We never know how these magical objects are going to work. Let’s get to Pythia and see what she says.”
Ares sighed. “Fine.” Instantly, the spear flew to his hand.
Chip led the way as they walked down the new road to Delphi. Apollo strummed on his lyre for a while. Then he began to sing.
“When Ares wields the Spear of Fear,
Your heart will pound and your pulse will quicken.
But when he tries to throw the spear,
You’ll see that it’s just a big ol’ chicken!”
“Hey!” Ares protested. “Quit singing that!”
Apollo frowned. “But it took me so long to think of a word that rhymes with ‘chicken.’ ”
“We’ll see who’s chicken,” Ares said, waving the spear at Apollo. The spear jumped out of his hand and hid behind Hera.
She laughed. “Oh, this is just too funny!”
“You guys are all rats!” Ares said angrily, stomping ahead of them. The spear followed him.
Zeus shook his head. “You could be a little nicer to him, you know,” he said to Hera.
“Come on,” Hera said. “Even you have to admit that scaredy-spear is pretty funny. Apollo, sing me more of your song.”
Apollo quietly started to sing again. Zeus shook his head and sped up, hoping to catch up to Ares. He was a few feet behind when he heard Ares talking softly to the spear. Ares didn’t know that Zeus could hear him.
“Don’t let their laughing get to you,” Ares was saying. “I’m afraid of stuff too. Lots of stuff. Like the dark. And centipedes. And Cronies. But I just act like
I’m not afraid, and nobody knows. You gotta do that too.”
Zeus nodded to himself. That made a lot of sense. Ares always acted really tough, but everyone was afraid now and then.
“You’re strong,” Ares was telling the spear. “You were made for battle. I’ll train you. We can do this together.”
As Zeus crept closer, he stepped on a twig, causing Ares to jump.
“Oh,” Ares said, blushing. “Um, you didn’t, um, hear me talking just now, did you?”
“No,” Zeus lied, not wanted to embarrass his friend. “I was too busy thinking.”
“Thinking about what?” Ares asked.
Zeus smiled. “Thinking about how you and your spear are going to take down that python when we get to Delphi. I know you can do it.”
“Of course we can!” Ares said loudly. Then he marched down the path, more confident than Zeus had ever seen him.
CHAPTER SEVEN
Ssssneak Attack!
We’ll attack at sunrise,” Zeus said, drawing a map in the dirt with the stick. “The snake won’t expect us back so soon, so we might have an advantage.”
Stars shimmered in the sky overhead. To escape the Cronies the four Olympians had to take a longer route to Delphi. Zeus had suggested they camp for the night.
“I still think we should attack in the dark,” Ares said, anxiously pacing back and forth at bedtime. “That snake won’t see us coming!”
“Of course it will,” Hera countered. “It’s a python. They hunt at night.”
“Exactly,” Zeus agreed. “The snake would have the advantage in the dark.”
“Yeah, attacking isn’t all about might, you know,” Hera said. “It’s about strategy.”
Ares sighed and sat down in front of the campfire they had built using Bolt and some nearby twigs. “Well, I’m not going to be able to sleep.”
“How about a lullaby?” Apollo asked. He strummed his lyre.
“Close your eyes and go to sleep,
And tomorrow we will creep
To the temple to save the day.
And the python we will slay!
The battle will be fierce and bold.
The fight—”
“That’s not helping!” Ares grumbled loudly.
“Fine,” Apollo said, setting down the lyre. He yawned. “I’m tired anyway.”
The four Olympians fell asleep—even Ares, but he was up before dawn and shaking the others awake just as the first rays of the sun were peeking over the horizon.
“Come on. Let’s go,” Ares urged them. “Let’s do this!”
Zeus yawned and stretched. “Fine. By the time we get there, it’ll be light.”
In a few minutes they were headed to the temple, muching fruit they picked from an orchard they passed. Zeus felt excited. Once they got rid of that python, they’d be one step closer to finding the other Olympians.
“So, everyone remember the plan,” Zeus said. “Apollo, Hera, and I will approach the temple from the front. Ares, you sneak around to the back. We’ll distract the snake so you can attack.”
“Sneak attack! All right!” Ares said, shaking his spear.
“It’s a good plan, except for one thing,” Hera said to Ares. “What happens when that chicken stick of yours runs and hides?”
“It won’t,” Ares said firmly.
“I’m not so sure about that,” Hera said.
“Well, I think that the spear has been pretty smart so far,” Zeus said, trying to smooth things over. “Maybe it’s not afraid. Maybe it just doesn’t want to make a move too soon. It’s like you said before, Hera. You need strategy in battle, not just power.”
“Yeah,” said Ares.
“That doesn’t explain why the spear is afraid of thunder,” Hera pointed out.
“Everybody is afraid of something. It’s normal,” Zeus said, and Ares gave him a grateful look.
“And now we are here, so it’s time for the spear!” Apollo rhymed.
They had reached the temple. There was no sign of the snake.
“It’s probably curled up inside,” Zeus said. “Okay. Here’s the plan. Ares, circle around. Stay close to the trees.”
“Right,” Ares said, darting off.
Zeus, Hera, and Apollo marched up to the temple.
“Hey, python!” Zeus yelled. “Wake up!”
The huge head of the python slithered out from inside the temple. The snake wrapped its long body around the temple’s inner chamber. He still had Ares’s old wooden spear and was chomping it like it was candy.
“Well, isssn’t this nice,” hissed the snake. “Visitorsss. Have you come back for another round?”
“No.” Zeus said firmly. “We’ve come back to save Pythia.”
The snake laughed. “How are you going to do that? Is that yellow-haired one going to sssing to me? Is the girl going to tickle me?”
Zeus drew out Bolt. It sprang to full size. “I’ve got something better than that.”
“Didn’t work lassst time!” the python said, as its huge, long body slithered down the stairs toward him. “But give it your bessst shot.”
Zeus braced himself, hoping that Ares was ready to attack from behind. Bolt sizzled in his hands.
Zap! A jagged streak of electricity hit the python. The snake flinched—and then its tail flicked out, knocking Bolt out of Zeus’s hands.
“What elssse you got?” the snake hissed. Then its head suddenly snapped around. “What was that?”
Ares had climbed the stairs on the other side of the temple and was standing at its entrance. The end of the python’s tail waved in front of him. He swung back his spear. He had a clear shot.
Suddenly the snake’s head zoomed in a flash to appear right in front of Ares.
“What do we have here?” the snake asked. It eyed the iron spear in Ares’s hand. “A new toothpick for me?”
“This isn’t a toothpick,” Ares said, his red eyes flashing angrily. “It’s the Spear of Fear. Now meet your doom!”
“I’ll take that,” the python said, quickly flicking out its long, red tongue.
Ares thought fast, unwilling to let the snake get his spear. He swiftly ducked, and then tore off running around the temple, the python’s hot breath on his back as he ran.
“Don’t be ssscared . . . ,” hissed the python.
Hera and Apollo ran to meet Ares. Zeus trailed behind, carrying Bolt. The python’s mouth opened wide. Zeus knew the snake could swallow Ares in one gulp. Was Zeus about to lose another Olympian?
The python’s huge mouth started to close on Ares. But before it closed shut, the Spear of Fear came flying out. Apollo caught it.
“Apollo, use it!” Zeus yelled.
The python hiccuped and then licked his lips. “Delicioussss!”
Apollo acted quickly, hurling the spear at the python. The Spear of Fear didn’t wobble or wiggle or hide. It sailed smoothly through the air and then hit the python’s body.
Bam! The python’s body popped like a big balloon. A huge whoosh of hot air escaped from the snake. Ares flew from its jaws toward them, covered in green slime.
“He’s alive!” Hera yelled.
Ssssssssssssss. A loud hissing sound filled the air as the snake’s body deflated. The powerful hissy wind picked up Zeus, Hera, Apollo, and Ares. They went flying through the air, yelling in surprise. As he tumbled in the wind, Zeus noticed Otus and Ephialtes below them, each one holding a handle of the giant urn!
Where did they come from? he wondered. But he had bigger things to worry about. The wind was carrying them right into that urn!
“Noooooo!” Zeus cried, but he couldn’t fight the strong wind. The four Olympians landed inside the huge urn. Then darkness fell as the two Cronies closed the lid.
“This means war!” Ares yelled.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Trapped!
Ha! Ha! Ha! Did you hear that?” Otus asked. “He thinks he’s gonna fight us. But he’s trapped!”
“Yeah,” Ephialtes said. “Wai
t until our bosses see how smart we were, to come back here with the urn and wait for the Olympians. They were like sitting geese.”
“You mean sitting ducks, I think,” Otus corrected him. “Or is it turkeys, maybe?”
“Never mind,” Ephialtes growled. “Let’s get this urn back to the army.” They began walking.
Inside the urn Hera banged her fist on the side. “Let us out, you crummy Cronies!”
Zeus sat up, dizzy from being shot through the air riding a hot snake hiss. The inside of the urn was warm, and so dark that he couldn’t see a thing in front of him.
“Is everyone okay?” he called out.
“I’m fine,” Apollo replied, and his voice seemed far away. “This urn seems to be very wide. I think it’s bigger inside than outside.”
“A magic urn,” Zeus mused. That would explain why the two Cronies could carry it with four Olympians inside. Hmm. Olympians—Apollo and Hera had suspected that more of them might be in this urn.
“Is anybody else in here?” Zeus yelled.
“Bro!” Zeus heard the word right next to his ear as someone knocked him back down with an excited tackle.
“Poseidon!” Zeus cried, jumping up and hugging him.
“Hey! Who stepped on my foot!” Hera complained.
“Me. I’m here too,” said Hades. “Sorry, Hera.”
“We’re here too,” answered the last two missing Olympians. Hera let out a happy squeal and made her way toward Demeter and Hestia’s voices.
“So we’re all back together,” Zeus said, counting in his head. “Eight Olympians!”
“We’ve been stuck in here for days,” moaned Hades. “And I know it’s dark and everything, but I’d much rather be in the Underworld.”
“I miss the fresh air.” Demeter sighed. “The Crony army has been carrying us around. Otus and Ephialtes had the urn at first, but they kept dropping us.”
“But they snitched the urn from the other Cronies yesterday after they got in trouble for losing the rest of you,” said Hestia. “Now that they have all of us, they’ll take us back to the army, and then right to King Cronus.” Zeus felt her shiver with fear next to him as she said the name.
