Elementals 4: The Portal to Kerberos

by Michelle Madow

  “We might as well get going.” I jumped off the rock and brushed off my palms. “We’re not getting anywhere by sitting here doing nothing.”

  “We should have taken the bodies of those foxes that we killed on the mountain,” Chris said, not moving from his seat on the rock. A fly buzzed around his ear, and he didn’t bother waving it away. “At least then we would have something to eat.”

  My stomach growled, and I wrapped my arms around it to silence it. Why hadn’t Apollo thought to give us some food along with our weapons? We had a while before keeling over from starvation, but our strength wouldn’t last forever if we didn’t find something to eat.

  “Do you know how to cook a fox?” Danielle shot back at Chris. “How to skin it, and how to know which parts of it to eat? And what about starting a fire? Do you know how to do that without a lighter?”

  “I have my knife.” He held it up, the blade glinting in the rays of the dying sun. “We could have figured the rest of that stuff out. It’s better than starving to death.”

  “We’re not going to starve to death,” I said, although I had a feeling that I was trying to convince myself of that as much as I was trying to convince him. “And we’re not going back up that path. The lions might not let us go twice, and who knows what other animals will try to attack? We have to find another way. Come on.”

  I stepped off the path, maneuvering myself along the cragged rocks. Chris and Danielle followed in my footsteps, saying nothing.

  We stumbled along for ten minutes—our progress was slower than it had been on the path, but at least it was progress. Danielle used the Golden Sword as a walking stick. Chris and I didn't have that luxury, and there were no sticks anywhere near us, so we had to make our way on our own. So far, I’d only lost my footing once.

  I panted as I continued on, cursing the lions for stopping us right before we’d reached water. Couldn’t they have waited until after we had something to drink?

  I suppose that would be too much to expect from a hellish prison world.

  To distract myself from my thirst, I kept glancing at the mountain, hoping to spot another path. Everything I’d seen so far was too steep to reasonably climb. But we still had a while to go, so I tried not to lose hope.

  I turned my gaze ahead and saw something strange in the distance—a fuzzy, gray blob about the size of a human. “Do you all see that?” I asked, stopping to point at the shadowy blob. “I’m not hallucinating, am I?”

  Danielle looked at where I was pointing and raised her sword. “If you’re seeing a shadowy blur that’s coming closer to us at a speed we could never outrun, then no, you’re not hallucinating,” she said. “What is that thing?”

  “I don’t know.” I pulled out a crystal arrow and strung it through my bow, even though I had no idea where to aim to injure the thing up ahead. So I removed the crystal arrow and took out the used arrow instead, shooting it at the blob. The arrow disappeared into it. I stood there, transfixed, trying to see where my arrow could have landed, but it was like it had become part of the shadow itself.

  The shadow stopped about twenty feet ahead of us, and in less time than it took to blink, a person stood in its place. A guy a few years older than us, to be exact—dressed in black jeans, a leather jacket, and combat boots. He had dark hair, and a face so perfectly sculpted that he would make even Jason Flynn—one of the most famous movie stars in the world—pale in comparison. He carried a small black pack on his back and my arrow in his hand, but that was all he seemed to have on him.

  I strung a crystal arrow through my bow and pointed it at his heart. Danielle held out her sword, and Chris had his lyre ready.

  I should have shot the guy—or thing, or whatever he was—with the crystal arrow immediately after he shifted to human form, but he didn’t make a move toward us, so I held back. I didn’t think that any creatures in Kerberos could be trusted, but if this guy wanted to kill us, wouldn’t he have done it by now? Especially since I’d already tried shooting him once?

  “You can lower your weapons.” He tossed my used arrow to the ground in front of my feet and held his hands out. “I’m here to help you.”

  “Why should we trust you?” I remained focused on him and didn’t make a move for the discarded arrow, ready to shoot the crystal arrow through his heart at a moment’s notice.

  “Do you have much of a choice?” He smirked, as if he already knew the answer to the question. “You’re wandering around Kerberos with no idea where you’re going. Since you’re traversing the Badlands—and judging by the bite on Chris’s shoulder—you’ve already discovered that wild animals block the fastest route up the mountain. I’m going to guess that you’re searching for another way up, but you’re looking in the wrong place. And even if you do discover the correct path—which I doubt you will on your own—the chances of you making it to the top of the mountain alive are slim at best. Which brings me to the reason why I’m here—to be your guide.”

  I stood there for a few seconds, processing everything he’d said. He couldn’t be telling the truth. Because no creature from Kerberos was on our side… or at least I didn’t think they were. After all, they had every reason to want the portal to open, and we had every reason to want it closed. Which made us enemies with everyone here.

  Whoever this guy was, there was no way he was here to help us. And if he thought he could trick us that easily, he was wrong.

  “How do you know my name?” Chris finally asked.

  “If you lower your weapons, I’ll tell you,” he said.

  I glanced at Danielle, who like me, made no move to lower her weapon.

  “No.” Danielle leveled her gaze with his, holding her ground. “How about this—as long as you stay where you are, we’ll promise not to shoot you while you answer our questions.”

  “Feisty.” The man smiled. “I like it.”

  She raised her sword, which only made his smile grow.

  “We know better than to trust anyone from Kerberos,” she said. “So go on. Tell us who you are, and how you know Chris’s name.”

  “It’s not just Chris’s name I know,” he said. “I know yours, too, Danielle. And yours, Nicole.” He looked at me when he said my name, his dark eyes sending chills down my spine. “And you’re right to not trust anyone from Kerberos. Trusting anyone from here would be pretty stupid.”

  “So then why do you expect us to trust you?” I asked.

  “Because I’m not from Kerberos.”

  I waited for him to continue. When he didn’t, I took the bait. “Where are you from, then?” I asked, not having the patience for whatever game he was trying to play.

  “I am from Chaos itself,” he said, as if we should understand what that meant. “More specifically, I am Erebus—the primordial deity of darkness, sent here by Nyx to guide you through this prison world.”

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  “Why did Nyx send you?” Danielle narrowed her eyes, not looking like she believed a word he said. “Why wouldn’t she just come here herself?”

  “Excellent questions,” Erebus said. “And there are two reasons. First of all, there’s an issue on another planet right now that needs Nyx’s undivided attention. Don’t bother asking for more information on that situation, because that’s all I’m allowed to tell you. And secondly, I’m much more familiar with Kerberos than Nyx is. She doesn’t spend much time here—she doesn’t like it here very much. I, on the other hand, have no issues watching creatures suffer in the most gruesome ways imaginable, so I come here quite often. Which makes me more suitable to be your guide.”

  “If you like suffering so much, then why help us at all?” I asked. “Why not let the Titans escape, and watch them destroy the Earth?”

  “Would you believe me if I told you it was to make Nyx happy?” he asked.

  “No,” Danielle said, tightening her grip on her sword. “Why do you personally want to help us?”

  “Fine.” He chuckled and held his hands up. “You’re right. Making N
yx happy is a plus I get from helping you, but it isn’t the reason why I’m helping you. The reason why is this—you mortals are so entertaining, it would be a shame to have you wiped out by the Titans. The technological advances that the mortals on Earth have created in such a short amount of time are incredible—you’re close to making some remarkable discoveries about what exists beyond your planet. To have your race obliterated now would be hugely disappointing. Sure, it would be entertaining while it was happening, but the Titans would crush you so quickly that it would be over before I could get any enjoyment from it even starting. Therefore, I’m taking Nyx’s request to heart. I can’t technically interfere in your mission, but I’ll do what I can to guide you through Kerberos alive. Because while I know you don’t want to admit it, without me, the three of you have no chance in hell. And I mean that quite literally, since Kerberos is worse than Hades itself.”

  “Great,” I said, still not lowering my bow. “If you want to help us, create a portal to the top of that mountain, so we can save Blake, grab Medusa’s head, and get out of here.”

  “I’m afraid I can’t do that,” he said. “It would be too much of an interference. Like I said—I’m here to guide you, not to interfere and make this easy for you. Mortals must earn success, not have it handed to them by the gods. But I will remain by your side for as long as you need me with you on your journey.”

  “But how can we trust you?” Danielle asked, her sword still raised. “How can we know that you’re not pretending to be who you say you are, and that you’re not actually some creature in Kerberos who’s lying to us to gain our trust?”

  “Because no creature from Kerberos has had any contact with Earth in three millennia,” he said. “And of the ones who escaped, only three returned—the harpy, Orthrus, and the siren. But I know that Nyx came to you recently to warn you about Typhon’s soul escaping Kerberos. She visited you on Earth, after those three creatures I mentioned had returned, so I would have no way of knowing that unless I am who I say I am—a primordial deity, sent here by Nyx to guide you through this dimension.”

  “Or you could have read our minds,” I said. “Or you could have already found Ethan and Blake, and coaxed that information out of them.”

  “I could have.” He spoke so calmly, as if the three of us weren’t aiming weapons at him, ready to kill. “But I didn’t. I am Erebus, and I’m here to guide you through Kerberos. You can accept my help or not, but I would advise that you accept it, because without it, you will surely die. And I don’t think you need reminding that each second we spend here discussing this is one second closer to the spring equinox.” He paused, allowing that to sink in. “But in the end, this is your decision, and I will not force my help upon you. So I will ask this of you once, and I advise that you choose wisely. Do you accept my help, or do you not?”

  I didn’t lower my weapon, but I didn’t shoot the arrow, either. If this actually was Erebus, and if he was being truthful, we would be stupid to turn him down. After all, it was already apparent after our failed trek up the mountain that we wouldn’t get far in Kerberos without being killed.

  But what if this wasn’t Erebus? What if this was a monster that was pretending to be Erebus so he could gain our trust, bring us to who knows where, and trap us and torture us there?

  I was about to request to talk with the others alone when Chris started to play the Golden Lyre. Like Apollo had promised, Chris played like a pro, even though he didn’t have experience on any instruments at all. His fingers clearly plucked each note, dancing across the strings to create music so perfect and beautiful that it brought tears to my eyes. If I didn’t know any better, I would think that Apollo was playing the song himself.

  “If you want us to accept your help, then run as far away from us as you can manage and never speak of us or come near us again,” Chris said, the music accompanying his every word.

  I glanced at him—making sure to keep my arrow aimed at Erebus—shocked at what he was saying. “What are you doing?” I hissed, wanting to smack him for being such an idiot. I would have, if I wasn’t holding onto my weapon.

  “Stop talking,” Danielle snapped at me. “Let Chris do what he needs to do.”

  I clamped my lips shut, surprised at her outburst. Apparently both she and Chris had gone mad.

  Finally, Chris stopped playing the lyre. He lowered it and raised an eyebrow at Erebus, as if challenging the god to see his next move.

  I expected Erebus to turn around and run to the end of Kerberos, never seeing him or hearing from him again. Instead, he cocked his head at Chris and laughed.

  “Have you lost your mind?” he asked Chris. “Why would I do as you said if I’m here to help you? Which, for the record, I am.”

  “Good job.” Chris nodded. “You passed the test.”

  “I know.” Erebus smirked, as if he knew everything. Which, if he was a primordial deity as he claimed, he likely did. “Apollo’s Golden Lyre will convince anyone to do as they’re told, unless they’re an animal or a god. Since I’m a god, I’m immune to its effects. But if I were a monster here to trick you, I would be running for the hills, and the three of you would never see or hear from me again. Smart thinking,” he said, nodding at Chris. “I’m impressed.”

  “Thanks,” Chris said sheepishly, swinging the lyre around his back. “I try.”

  “It was a good idea,” I said, feeling stupid for not figuring out what he was doing earlier. “But the Titans are here in Kerberos, and they’re all gods. So they would be immune to the lyre’s effects, too. How do we know that Erebus—or this god who claims to be Erebus—isn’t actually a Titan?”

  “The Titans are all trapped on the top of that mountain.” Erebus pointed to the mountain that we’d seen Blake and Ethan flying toward, the top of it hidden by a mass of dark storm clouds. “But more importantly, if I were a Titan, the three of you would be dead by now.”

  “He has a good point.” Danielle lowered her sword, holding it to her side. “I think we should trust him.”

  “He passed my test, so I trust him, too,” Chris said.

  “Which leaves Nicole,” Erebus said, his dark eyes so intense that it felt like he could see straight into my soul. “So, child of Apollo,” he continued. “What will it be?”

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  I didn’t move from my stance, holding my arrow steady and my gaze with Erebus’s. Did I trust him enough to follow him through Kerberos? He was clearly a god—if he wasn’t, he wouldn’t have been immune to the effects of the Golden Lyre. And I had a gut feeling that he was right—if he were a Titan, he would have killed us by now. So no matter who he was, he didn’t want us dead. At least not immediately. And since it seemed like most creatures and monsters who resided on Kerberos did want us dead, it would be stupid to deny the help of a god who claimed that he wanted to help keep us alive. Plus, without our powers, we were weaker than ever. We needed his help.

  “Fine.” I lowered my bow, removing the crystal arrow and placing it back in my quiver. I grabbed the used arrow at my feet and put it away as well. “I accept your help, too.”

  “Wonderful,” he said, rubbing his hands together. “Now, as you already know, Ethan has taken Medusa’s head to the top of the mountain. Your friend Blake is with him as well.”

  “I tried to shoot Ethan while he was in the air,” I interrupted. “Do you know if the arrow hit him?”

  “I’m not supposed to supply you with information that you should discover for yourself, but I suppose it won’t hurt this one time,” he said. “No, your arrow did not reach Ethan, as he was already hidden by the clouds when you released the shot.”

  “So he’s still alive.” I frowned, letting go of the hope I’d been holding onto that perhaps my arrow had hit its target.

  “That’s for you to discover once you reach the top of the mountain,” Erebus said. “As you already found out, the quickest, most obvious path up the mountain is also the most deadly. If you had been stubborn and tried to continue,
death would have been imminent—even with the enchanted objects gifted to you by Apollo. But, as you suspected, that path is not the only way up the mountain. There’s another way—although given the direction you’re currently heading, you’re nowhere close to finding it. It’s a safer, more meandering path that will take us through multiple realms of Kerberos. However, even though it’s safer than the direct route, it’s still far from safe. You will come across monsters and horrors that no longer exist on Earth. You will be exposed to some of the same terrors that monsters have experienced in Kerberos for thousands of years. You would not survive without me, but with me as your guide, you at least stand a chance. It will not be easy, but it’s your only option if you wish to succeed on your quest. Are you ready to face the challenges ahead?”

  “Yes.” I nodded, since at this point, what choice did we have? I would face anything to save Blake. “I’m ready.”

  “I am, too,” Chris said.

  “As am I,” Danielle said. “But I do have one question.”

  “Ask away.” Erebus motioned for her to continue.

  “Ethan and Blake were taken up the mountain by dragons,” she said. “Wouldn’t it be a lot faster if we could find dragons to fly us up to the top of the mountain as well?”

  “Yes.” Erebus nodded. “It would. And that’s precisely part of my plan, although I didn’t think it necessary for you to know until it happened. But since you asked so nicely, I suppose I can tell you now. Dragons reside midway up the mountain, and they’re rather fickle creatures. The ones who retrieved Ethan and Blake were sent to this spot by Helios. You see, the dragons in question are Helios’s Solar Dragons, who pulled Helios’s chariot across the sky. They follow Helios’s orders—or the orders of anyone working for Helios—because he is their master. With the portal weakened, Helios must have been able to get a message to the dragons to find Ethan and Blake and fly them up the mountain. The path we’re taking up the mountain will lead us to the Lair of the Dragons. A ride from the dragons is the only way to the peak, and while dragons are inherently selfish creatures, they’ll do anything for a price. Agreeing on that price will be for you and the dragons to negotiate.”