Gifts of the Greeks

by Edmund A. M. Batara

  As he looked closer, he could see dead Empusas, in whole and dismembered bodies, added to the mix. Their red blood added a tinge of color to the mess

  Empusas? What the freak are they doing here?

  The new creatures looked like humanoid reptiles with a bit of demon accent thrown here and there. At the distance, Tyler couldn’t see specific facial features but horns and hands which resembled claws appeared to be common denominators. Surprisingly, they wore armor and had weapons. These did look crudely made but they looked deadly.

  What the hell are those things? he wondered. Then he thought of X.

  “X, do you recognize those creatures?”

  “No, Elder. Not in my database. My resources do have information about most of the deities of Adar. Newer arrivals are uncatalogued. But if that dark being is Supay, the Incan death god, then those creatures must be from Ukhu Pacha, the Incan underworld, though the technical term would be a pocket dimension. Supay is known to be the ruler of creatures from that dimension. Humans call them demons. Or the Incan version of demons."

  “Thanks, X. If they’re demons, then they’re killable ones,” said Tyler as he moved towards the entrance.

  As he exited the cave, he heard a loud thump from above. When he turned to look, he saw one of the Incan demons hurtling away from him at a very fast clip. Several more were dropping towards him from the rocks above. Slowly.

  Hephaestus’ bracer is really worth all the trouble, he observed. He was not worried about the demons. When they hit X’s field, they’ll all go flying away. Which was a curious fact.

  “X, how come they’re all being thrown away that fast?”

  “Your bracer, Elder. It affects individual creatures and their momentum, among others. When they’re not a threat anymore, the lost energy comes back in a rush. And the repelling field also adds more momentum to their departure."

  As he turned his head towards the field, he heard several successive thumps hitting the repelling barrier. At the speed those demons were being thrown up and away, he doubted if they would survive hitting the ground.

  He looked at the scene before him. It was more of what he glimpsed from within the cave. But there were more demons and other creatures in the distance, all looking at the sky. They have not yet noticed his emergence from the cave. Supay must have brought a small army with him in addition to the Empusas. Though the Empusa connection still eluded him.

  He glanced at what they were looking all.

  Two figures were facing off. The swirling dark mist must be Supay, he noted.

  “Had enough? Useless god of thunder? You really are thunder, all bark and no bite.”

  Though the figures were some distance away and more than a hundred feet above the ground, he could hear their dialogue. Supay’s minions could probably hear it too. A strut of a show. A morale booster for Supay’s masses, he concluded.

  Thor’s answer was a blast of lightning directed at the dark god. The bolt tore through the misty form with no effect. A violent detonation on a nearby hill followed. As Tyler’s eyes involuntarily went to the site of the blast, he noticed the surrounding hills and ground were scarred with craters and broken ground.

  The thunder god must have really let loose with his lightning bolts, he thought. Apparently with no discernible effect on the death god. Thor outmatched? This is bad.

  “Lightning again, thunder worm? Haven’t you learned that it has no effect on my form? You’re attacking a mist, a fog, the very air. Come, try to hit me again! I won't move!”

  Tyler noticed a pattern in Supay’s dialogue. He seemed to be trying to goad Thor into closing in. He hoped the over-muscled doofus won’t fall for it. The Incan is planning something.

  As the thunder god took no immediate action, the mist turned into a mass of tendrils and flowed towards Thor. Thor moved away, keeping the same distance. Tyler inwardly cheered. At least the thunder god noticed the dark god's machinations. The mist coalesced into Supay’s form.

  “Such a cowardly little godling! Your brother Tyr fought better. That is until we got to skin him alive. Oh, the squeals and cries of your valiant brother were delightful. Very nourishing. But where were you then, little godling? Off on your manly jaunts?” Supay then laughed. And the familiar coldness which permeated bones accompanied the sound of his baleful laughter. Tyler shuddered. It had a quality all its own. Cruelty, coldness, madness, and fear all rolled into one high-pitched demented cackle.

  And the remaining demons, taking the cue, also laughed. A cacophony of weird ululating hisses, barks, and shrieks. The sound would have been funny if not for the grim tableau. Thor’s response was to hurl his hammer towards the demons. As Mjolnir hit, the ground again shook violently and a deafening blast resounded throughout the area. To Tyler, it was like watching an internet clip of an exploding artillery shell back on Earth. A mushroom cloud of dust rose above where the demons were.

  As he turned his attention back to the two deities, he saw that Supay had quickly taken advantage of Thor’s momentary distraction with his minions. He had closed the distance with the Norse god and was now trying to engulf him with his dark misty form. Tyler knew whatever Supay had planned was not going to end well for the thunder god. The Norse deity was now visibly struggling as the unnatural cloud started to cling to his body. All the while, he could hear Supay’s malevolent laughter.

  “You think you could handle me, thunder worm? Me? A death god? The ways of death are beyond you, godling! Only another death god could be my equal!”

  Tyler could see Thor trying to hit Supay’s cloudy figure with his hammer. But the nebulous form just parted whenever Mjolnir struck. The situation for the Norse god was getting desperate.

  “X! Can we do anything?”

  “Run? The death god is correct. His abilities are dimensional in nature. He phases at will from this dimension to his pocket realm. Material strikes do not damage him. Though this death god appears to have augmented his power somehow.”

  “We can’t leave Thor like that! He came to help us.”

  “You were bait, Elder. As earlier mentioned.”

  “Never mind that! I can’t just stand by and watch somebody gets murdered by that death god.”

  “It is a fight, Elder. Two deities against each other.”

  I don’t think I like X. Even when she’s right, noted his petulant subconscious.

  He gathered what energy he could manage, focused on the misty form of the death god, and let loose with a lesser energy blast infused with a light spell. As the blast struck the mist, in a part away from the thunder god’s body, he added more energy and exploded a scintillant orb in its wake. The luminous flash was visible even in the daylight.

  Must have also blinded Thor. Sorry, dude.

  As the flash disappeared, he saw Supay still there, a weakly struggling thunder god in his grasp. The death god was intently looking at him. Tyler’s blast merely caught his attention and inflicted no observable damage.

  “IT’S YOU. THE TROUBLESOME LITTLE GNAT OF A MORTAL! YOU’RE THE ONE WHO KILLED THOSE EMPUSAS! THE ONE WHO MADE ME BREAK MY PROMISE TO ECHIDNA!”

  With that shout, Supay hurled the thunder god away. All Tyler could see was a disappearing figure turning into a dot in the distance.

  “I am going to enjoy consuming you slowly, presumptuous little brat! I don’t care what the others want! I will eat your heart while you watch!”

  Suddenly, a huge dark hand appeared in front of Tyler. With an unbelievable amount of force, it slapped him back into the cave.

  Tyler's world blacked out.

  He found himself floating in a white nothingness. He looked around. Everything was blindly white. No depth nor height could he determine.

  “You’re dying, Archmage.” A voice softly told him.

  “I really wouldn’t know. Who’s speaking?” he asked, keeping his voice as normal as he could. His mind was swirling with different and contrary emotions. He didn’t know what to think of his situation. Yet somehow, he knew this w
as not an ordinary encounter. Nor another dream.

  “Many of your bones have been broken. You are bleeding inside your body.”

  “I guess you’re talking about my physical body. Where am I exactly? And if it’s not too much of a bother, who are you?" he again asked.

  “Poor judgment. Driven by emotions. Human,” the voice continued, ignoring his questions.

  “I am that, I guess. What else would I be?” he replied, not venturing to continue asking questions which could again be ignored.

  “One chance, Archmage. I have high hopes for you. Be human yet be wiser. Do not disappoint me.”

  Tyler came back to his senses. And the intense pain. His entire body was wracked with it. His vision was blurry. He knew he couldn’t move. A lot of things were broken inside him.

  “Elder? Excellent! You’ve regained consciousness! I am trying to heal the severe damage you have sustained. It’s a wonder you’re still alive.”

  “X? How long was I unconscious? How bad is it?” He went back to mental communication, speaking out was impossible.

  “You blacked out for a few seconds, Elder. As to your condition, broken ribs, broken bones, hematomas everywhere, and severe internal bleeding due to blunt trauma. Your back is resting on the now smashed pillar. Good thing I was able to quickly rebuild the repelling field, otherwise you would have died instantly with a broken spine. Supay’s blow destroyed all the barriers and my field.”

  Shit. What a price for admission. That voice was right. It was a stupid move, he thought while casting a light healing spell for himself. He hoped it will help.

  “What about Supay, X? I had expected him to follow me.”

  “My sensors indicate that the thunder god had returned and is confronting him again. And right now, he is going to be… “

  A loud concussive blast erupted outside the cave.

  “Hit,” continued X. “With his trajectory, he’s bound to hit a mountain. The projected area of impact is beyond my scanning range.”

  He’s going to come after me next, thought Tyler. Though he was surprised that he wasn’t scared. Apprehensive but not afraid. Guess that’s what happens when you get to face death too often.

  Tyler quickly ran through his options. He didn’t mind his injuries. X could take care of it better than he could. And healing required time. What was left were his conscious mind and his will. Yet the paltry number of spells available to him limited his options. The lesser blast, an Elder spell, though admittedly fueled by ordinary magical energy, failed to stop the death god. He had to think of how to use his spells and knowledge in an unconventional manner.

  “Mortal gnat! Good, you’re still alive! I was afraid you were dead! I don’t like dead meat!” shouted Supay. “I’m coming, little mortal. Tremble some more! Fear adds flavor!”

  Tyler heard Supay’s shouting and guessed the death god would let him stew in fear for a few seconds more.

  “X! Any more of your Elder energy left?”

  “Not enough for any spell, Elder. All of it was used in the formation of the barrier. The Elder energy I have is what I was able to recover from the dissolution of the barrier. A negligible amount.”

  “Give it to me!”

  Tyler suddenly felt the surge of Elder energy in his consciousness. It was minuscule in quantity but he could feel its power. It was vastly different from the magical energy around him. Comparing the two would be like distinguishing between the illumination given out by candle and a fireball. But he knew X was right. The Elder energy was not enough even for the most basic spell. But he had plans for it. The mage started gathering energy and reserved his strength for what was to come. Quickly assessing the condition of his body, he could feel X hard at work repairing the damage. The pain had lessened considerably though he credited the AI for it. X must have dulled the pain receptors in his brain.

  A shadow blocked the light at the entrance of the cave. Supay had arrived.

  “Hello, Havard the Mage. You have given me so much trouble. Escaping those useless excuses for mercenaries. Killing my allies. Shaming me before Echidna. Making me look like a fool before my fellow deities,” recited Supay as he floated towards Tyler. Tyler could sense the aura of intense fear and destruction emitted by the deity.

  “The thunder god’s destruction would have been sweet. But consuming you would be sweeter. Deities just disappear when they die. But mortals? You want to know a secret?" tittered the deity.

  "We discovered how to pluck your souls out!” shouted Supay and then he laughed. That nerve-wracking and unearthly laugh of his which chilled the bone and terrified the brain.

  "You do have to die first. Slowly," continued the deity.

  Supay was already around twenty feet away, floating in a cloud of dark mist, decorated by two reddish points of light which Tyler guessed as his eyes, and the numerous horns which adorned the head.

  Good thing bad guys always feel the need to monologue.

  While Supay was laughing, Tyler turned his attention to X.

  “X.”

  “Yes, Elder.”

  “You can crush the transportation stone by yourself?”

  “Of course, Elder. Such a simple act.”

  “You have to teach me that ability. Anyway, when I say “now”, crush the stone. Otherwise, we’ll all be buried here.”

  Tyler looked at Supay. The deity had finished laughing and was slowly moving towards him.

  Such a ham. But I do hope this works.

  Suddenly, a dense orb appeared around the death god, totally encapsulating him. Tyler could feel the immediate reaction of the deity as it quickly tried to smash the orb open. Supay failed. Elder energy was woven into the packed magical energy which made up the opaque orb. Tyler concentrated. He had only one chance at what he was going to do. He doubted that the orb will last. The Elder energy mixed in it was too little to withstand more than a few of Supay’s attempts to break free.

  Intensely focusing his will on the energy inside the orb, he took a deep breath and in one forceful act of will, quickly removed all magical energy from inside. He could feel Supay’s being trying to desperately hold on to its own innate magical energy but to no avail. Supay was greatly surprised and confused by what happened. By the time the deity reacted and tried to maintain its cohesiveness, most of the energy that composed it was already drained through the orb, leaving the death god a lot weaker. The Elder energy which permeated its oval jail prevented Supay from grabbing back anything. As Tyler was draining the last few wisps out of Supay’s being, he could sense the bewildered reaction of the dying god.

  Disbelief. Anger. Shock. Fear. And finally, nothing.

  As Tyler drained the last few energies from the orb, it also started to collapse. The minuscule Elder energies which held it in place during the removal process finally disappeared under the strain. The spell, finally free, instantaneously spread for some distance before Tyler could cut it off. The cave started to collapse.

  “NOW!”

  Chapter Lore:

  Echidna – Greek. Known as the “mother of all monsters,” she was the wife of Typhon (also Typhoeus, Typhos). The two were described by Homer as neither gods nor men. Conflicting versions of their origins exist. One claims them as giants. A version states Typhon was an offspring of Gaia after the Titans were driven from the heavens by Zeus. Another claims Typhon as the offspring of Cronus. Echidna’s origins are vague though Greek mythology mentions she gave birth to many monstrous children such as Cerberus, the Gorgons, and the Sphinx.

  Chapter XI

  Repercussions

  With a flash of light, Tyler appeared back at the inn. On the floor of the inn, to be precise. Where his now unsupported body fell back on the hard stone floor. The suddenness of the fall would have resulted in a cracked skull for the young mage, if not for the cushioning effect of the repelling field.

  He saw Dionysus looking at him with mouth agape.

  I have that effect on people? he blearily thought.

  The deit
y immediately made a quick and complicated motion with his hands and then rushed to his side.

  “Havard! You look like donkey shit!”

  “I do? Long story. Can’t move,” he whispered. Even those few words were a struggle. Inwardly, he thanked X. The AI was proving to be a better doctor than Hal. Must be the upgraded level, he thought.

  The deity placed his right hand on Tyler’s torso. He could feel the healing spell suffusing through his body, complementing X’s efforts.

  “Not enough,” remarked Dionysus. “Let me bring you somewhere with fewer distractions.”

  It was then that Tyler noticed that the inn’s main hall had a scattering of guests. Though they were acting funny. As if they were heavily intoxicated.

  “What happened?” he blurted out.

  “A spell of befuddlement. They won’t remember your grand entrance. It wouldn't do for my respectable establishment to have people just popping out of nowhere. Close your eyes. We have to go. The spell can’t last long. Otherwise, the effects would be permanent.”

  Tyler closed his eyes. Through his eyelids, he could discern a flash. Then he heard the deity speak.

  “You may open your eyes now, Tyler.”

  Tyler slowly did and found he was lying on a sofa, with his head ensconced in a comfortable pillow. Dionysus was seated in a cushioned chair beside him.

  He really likes cushioned chairs. Wondered what he'll think of a recliner? asked Tyler's errant thought processes.

  His eyes tried their best to look around. He still found it difficult to move his head. The room was simple and startlingly bare, except for the sofa, a big four-poster bed, Dionysus’ cushioned chair, and a small round table beside the wall. Plain white walls. No room décor. An entirely different image from what he knew of the deity.

  Dionysus again placed his hand on his body. The familiar healing aura permeated Tyler’s being. The deity repeated the action. This time, it was a lot more effective. He couldn’t feel any broken bones anymore. The pain had lessened to an imperceptible level.