Beyond Hades (The Prometheus Wars) Page 20

  “It is called a seiren,” explained his captor, loosening his grip slightly, but not completely. “Her song entranced you.”

  Talbot looked around, panicked. “Where is Wes?” he asked.

  “I do not know,” replied the man holding him. “What is a ‘Wes’?”

  “He’s my companion,” said Talbot. “Let me go, I promise not to attack you again.”

  “Well that shall save me many sleepless nights,” mocked the man. Talbot felt the grip on his arms release.

  Talbot turned to find himself staring straight into the chest of the man. A black leather-like vest and dark pants swathed a frame second only to that of the late Heracles. Talbot stared up, noting this man stood only a couple of inches shorter than Heracles had. Black hair cascaded down to his muscular shoulders, surrounding a face of almost feminine beauty, which radiated an emotional aloofness bordering on haughtiness.

  “Who are you?” asked Talbot, though he felt sure he already knew the answer.

  The man smirked. “I am Hades, lord of this domain.”

  “Well, aren’t you a lucky fucker,” called the voice of Wes.

  Talbot turned, spying Wes sitting on a rock about twenty yards away, the sword of Chiron in his hands, and the head of a second Seiren at his feet.

  “Hey Hades, is this your girlfriend?” asked the commando. “Because she was a bitch!” Talbot glanced at Hades, noting with some small satisfaction that the self-proclaimed ‘lord’ appeared slightly perturbed.

  “How did you overcome a seiren?” asked Hades, trying to conceal his discomfort.

  Wes stood up, kicking the hideous head away like a soccer ball. “It’s not hard to see a bitch for what she really is,” he said maliciously, glaring at Hades. Talbot heard the hidden insult beneath the words and the stare, and he glanced at Hades. The Olympian had understood the challenge as well.

  “I saved your companion from her sister,” remarked Hades. “He was about to succumb to the seiren’s kiss.”

  “Yeah well, he’s one of those scientist types. They don’t get laid much.” Wes made a point of shining his nails on the front of his commando fatigues. “Now me on the other hand... well, I don’t like to boast, but I’ve had more fluff than a vacuum cleaner. You know what I mean?”

  “I have absolutely no idea what you are talking about,” admitted Hades. “Did you actually answer me amidst everything you just said?”

  Wes rolled his eyes dramatically. “Yeah, mate. It’s simple, the bitch was calling, but I didn’t want to listen. It’s easy to see through things when you know what to look for. Take you for example.”

  Hades raised a questioning eyebrow, seeming to puff himself out slightly as well. “Yes?”

  “You’re a snobby, spoilt kid, who decided he wanted to be a king,” said Wes, twirling Chiron’s sword absently. “Now you’re the king of this place, but it don’t mean shit because this place sucks. So you’re trying to impress us and make us think you’re something special, when the truth is you need us much more than we need you.”

  Hades took a step back in shock, causing Talbot to think nobody had ever dared to speak to him with such insolence before, but he also guessed Wes had hit pretty close to the mark with his assessment.

  “How dare you?” roared Hades.

  In a move of amazing speed, Wes suddenly had the large man on his knees, the sword of Chiron forced close to his throat. “I dare, fuck-head,” hissed the commando. “I put up with Heracles acting a bit special because I liked him. I don’t like you, you arrogant prick. Let’s just get that clear from the start. We need your assistance, but don’t think for a second I’ll scrape and bow just because you imagine yourself to be some sort of god. I’ll be able to suck my own dick before the day arrives when I show respect for a bitch like you.”

  If Hades had any difficulty understanding what Wes said, he definitely had no trouble recognizing his actions. Sweat beaded on the bigger man’s brow, and his features were etched with pain as Wes held his wrist in a lock with his left hand. Chiron’s sword appeared in the other, ready to plunge home at the slightest indication of resistance from Hades.

  “Do you understand me?”

  Hades ceased struggling and nodded. Wes released him and stepped back, wielding Chiron’s sword in case Hades attacked with the weapon he still gripped in his right hand. The larger man did not attack, however. In fact he looked totally broken; his gaze refusing to meet Wes or Talbot, his shoulders slumped forward.

  “What you are saying is true,” Hades finally admitted. “I need you to seal the rifts my people once opened. I am impotent in this matter, just as I am impotent in this realm.”

  The large man sighed heavily. “I asked to rule this place in the hope I could build up an army powerful enough to return home and seize control of Olympia from that fool, Zeus. The inhabitants of this place – the race of beings like Kharon – were intensely powerful, but also easily misled. I don’t know why I tell you this, perhaps because you are the only creatures who haven’t held me in awe... or at least the first in many years. I assume it’s been years, since time does not occur here in the same way it does elsewhere.”

  “What do you mean?” interrupted Talbot.

  Hades looked up. “Time does not exist in this place. Why else do you think I would choose to stay on here once my subjects were killed and the rifts were closed by the people of Olympia? In this world I am immortal!”

  “Yeah,” said Wes, “you’re an eternal pain in the arse, that’s for sure. How about you tell us something useful, instead of whining about how miserable your life has been up until this point. Time might be unlimited here, but that doesn’t mean my patience is.”

  Hades shook his head and stood. “We must go to my citadel where I can send you through the gate and into Tartarus.”

  “But you won’t be coming, of course,” mocked Wes bitterly.

  Hades’s gaze snapped up, shock evident upon his features. “Me enter Tartarus? Are you mad?”

  Wes shook his head, scorn evident upon his features. “At least Heracles had some balls. The rest of you clowns make me sick. Well, how are we going to get there, ladyboy Joe?”

  If Hades understood the insult, he chose to ignore it. Lifting his fingers to his lips, he emitted a shrill whistle. Within moments, Talbot felt the ground vibrating under his feet and snapped a glance at Wes, who appeared tense, the sword of Chiron held firmer in his hand and his eyes fixed on Hades. The lord of this dead world merely stood waiting.

  Two enormous black horses appeared on the horizon, hauling a golden chariot, similar in crafting to the one the bronze Khalkotauroi bulls had pulled. As they got closer, Talbot realized the beasts also resembled the bronze bulls in engineering; presumably also created by Hephaestus.

  The ebony horses were not as bulky as the bulls had been, but Talbot had a feeling their speed would be greater, evidenced by the rate at which they approached. Within seconds of Hades whistling, the horses had arrived, halting beside them, their glowing red eyes further evidence of the power sustaining them. All three climbed into the chariot – Talbot somewhat awkwardly – and Hades swung a small gate closed before collecting the reins.

  Hades snapped the reins, and the two powerful beasts exploded into their harnesses, their matt-black metal hides rippling like flesh, their replicated muscles flowing beneath. Even after seeing the workmanship of the bronze bulls, Talbot was still in awe of these incredible creations. Hades’s golden chariot – while somewhat gaudier – boasted the same design as the one hauled by the bulls, obviously built more for performance than comfort, with no chairs to sit upon.

  And their speed!

  Talbot had assumed the horses were designed to be faster than the bulls, but hadn’t realized how much that would be the case. The landscape became a blurred smudge as the air whipped at his eyes, causing them to water painfully. The difference was like switching to a Lamborghini after bumping along in the back of a pickup truck. The ground shot by, the gray stone perfect f
or such speeds, its smooth surface helping the well-lubricated wheels to –

  The rocks beside them suddenly exploded outwards in a massive eruption of slate and ash, causing the chariot to lurch heavily to the left. Wes instantly covered Talbot’s body with his own, chunks of stone raining down all around them, clattering against the metal of the chariot and its horses. Talbot heard several large pieces hit the back of the SAS commando, but Wes didn’t flinch, reminding him of Captain Benedict’s final sacrifice. The hail of stones petered out, only for a horrific screech to fill the air, causing the horses to bunch their engineered muscles once more, bursting forward in panic – or their mechanized semblance of self-preservation.

  Talbot glanced around, panic threatening to overwhelm him as well. He fought to force it away, remembering Wes’s advice. This was not the time for fear; this was the time for action!

  At first, Talbot thought the thing attacking them was a gryphon, but then he noticed several differences. The first was the size of the creature. While large, it was nowhere near as bulky as the enormous gryphon which had first attacked him on the Super Stallion, and then on the ground beside Ayers Rock. He gazed at it closer, taking note of everything he could while looking for some kind of weakness they might exploit.

  Flying low to the ground in pursuit of them, the beast glided on the wings of an eagle, spreading from the body of a giant cat – possibly a lion – its tail some kind of snake. The face was that of a beautiful human woman, eyes dark and contemptuous, but all the more striking as a result, lips plump, parting to reveal… a mouth full of fangs!

  Talbot pointed back at it. “What the hell is that thing?”

  Hades glanced behind them. “Damn!” he yelled. “It’s a sphinx!”

  “What? You mean like that statue thing in Egypt?” queried Wes. “But that doesn’t have fucking wings.”

  “I don’t think now is the time to argue the finer points of sculpture,” shouted Talbot over the roar of the chariot. “Can we kill it?” he asked Hades.

  “I doubt it,” replied Hades. “Even with the power of Chiron’s sword, I don’t think you’ll get a chance. They are the greatest hunting beasts of Tartarus.”

  The huge flying creature moved like a hawk, and even the powerful black horses were having trouble keeping their distance from it. Glancing ahead, Talbot saw an enormous, fortress-like castle looming before them. If they could manage to get to that, they might stand a chance.

  “Is that your place?” asked Wes. Hades nodded. “You really are a wanker, you know that, don’t you?”

  Hades looked confused. “I do not understand this term,” he said.

  “Yeah, I figured that. That’s why I like using it, ya wanker.”

  The sphinx swooped in low, its front claws reaching out, only a few feet from being able to grab the rear of the chariot. Wes swung the sword of Chiron, aiming for the legs. The huge creature twisted away at the last minute, causing Wes to almost overbalance, recovering just in time.

  “I wish I had my gun right about now,” he muttered. “This sword is pretty and all, but my grenade launcher would do a good job of knocking this bitch right on her ass.”

  The gates of Hades’s castle loomed closer.

  “Do you have anything we can use against this thing?” asked Wes.

  Hades shook his head. “There was a time I had a supply of bows such as those used by the centaurs, but they were all used up in the war between the dimensions.”

  “So how are we going to stop this fucker?”

  “There are certain... devices... within my city which we can use to fend off the sphinx,” replied Hades. Talbot didn’t fail to sense the hesitancy in his answer.

  “What kind of devices?” he asked.

  Hades looked back, avoiding Talbot’s gaze. “We must get inside the city first, and then I shall be able to show you.”

  “You’re a slimy bastard alright,” muttered Wes. “Heracles was right.”

  “What?” asked Hades, obviously catching some of what Wes had said.

  “Nothing,” answered Wes cheerfully. “Just wondering out loud about the rugby scores back home.”

  Hades glared at him, but Wes merely grinned. He had already established who the alpha dog was here and had nothing else to prove.

  The sphinx readied itself once more before swooping, its claws stretching and grasping for Talbot. Wes swung the sword of Chiron with all his might. This time it struck true, slicing deep into the thick flesh of the beast’s right foreleg. The sphinx wheeled away, screeching like an eagle through its human mouth.

  “What the hell?” gasped Wes, looking at the sword. “What happened? It felt like I hacked into stone!”

  “You did,” replied Hades, flicking the reins to drive the metallic horses forward even more. “The sphinx is one of the toughest of all the beasts of Tartarus. Its flesh is like rock.”

  “Nice of you to tell me,” snarled Wes, grimacing as he flexed his elbow. “Damn thing jarred my entire arm. I thought Olympian swords were supposed to be able to kill these things?”

  “They do,” said Hades, his black hair flicking across his face as he turned to face Wes. “But the sphinx’s main defense is its skin – even the weapons of Hephaestus were always weak against them.”

  Wes muttered something indistinct, his eyes scanning the sky for a glimpse of the sphinx, but for now it seemed to have fled. Talbot returned his gaze forward once more to the city which Hades called home.

  Ebony walls – constructed from the same obsidian as the huge gates through which he and Wes had passed earlier – surrounded the entire city, with high spiking towers shooting up from various points on the battlements. Suddenly something occurred to Talbot.

  “Who lives in your city, Hades?” he asked.

  Hades instantly looked discomfited. “I had citizens from Olympia, but they... departed... once Kharon’s race arrived.”

  Talbot thought about it, sure Hades was being devious in his answer. Wes broke in, his voice full of controlled rage. “You mean you brought those soul-sucking fucks into a city full of people?”

  It finally dawned on Talbot. “Your people didn’t leave, they were consumed.”

  Hades’s eyes remained pointed forward. “Once the war began, we needed the services of that race. Sacrifices needed to be made.... The people knew that, and gave their lives willingly.”

  “Bullshit!” hissed Wes, and Talbot knew it was only the fact that they needed Hades’s assistance that kept Wes from attacking the Olympian. “I’ve seen what those things do, I heard Heracles screaming. Nobody would submit to that knowing what was about to happen.”

  “Heracles did,” retorted Hades. “He knew what awaited him if he agreed to Kharon’s demand, and yet he went through with it.”

  “Heracles was different,” interjected Talbot. Though his voice had grown soft, both men paused to listen. “He was a hero. I thought I’d imagined those screams, because I believed no one could possibly make them. But since Wes heard them also, I know they were real. If Heracles agreed to submit to something so horrific, he was exceptional. I can’t believe an entire city would submit so readily.” Hades dropped his gaze, and Talbot knew he’d been lying.

  “How did you make them surrender, Hades?” Talbot pressed the question. “Kharon said that the merging required the submission of the host, so how did you get an entire city – men, women, and children – to allow such a thing to happen?”

  At first, Talbot thought the Olympian would refuse to answer, but Wes tapped the railing beside Hades’s right hand with the flat of Chiron’s sword, causing the golden electricity running along its blade to crackle.

  “There is a root from Olympia. In small doses it dampens pain,” Hades admitted. The words sounded as though they were being torn from within him, but his eyes never left the sword Wes held, and he knew the threat from the commando was not empty. “In large doses it commands total obedience.” He trailed off, remaining silent for a long time, the castle drawing ever closer as
they waited for Hades to divulge his secret.

  “I put this plant root into my people’s water.”

  “You monster,” whispered Talbot, the horror of the deed impacting even more as he gazed at the size of the city – there must have once been thousands of people living in a place of this size.

  “But don’t you see?” pleaded Hades. “I needed the help of the Keres in order to –”

  “The Keres?” interrupted Talbot. This was something from Greek mythology he actually knew a bit about. The Keres were a group of demonic spirits which sought cruel and violent death. The thing Talbot remembered about them was that they were unable to cause the deaths of others directly, but were able to influence events in order to obtain that which they sought. If he’d known Kharon was of the Keres he would never have willingly approached the Styx. “You sacrificed thousands of innocents who followed you to those abominations? What kind of beast are you?”

  “Without their aid, I would have lost power over my land. I had no choice!”

  Talbot gazed up at the profile of the larger man, seeing only a weak, pathetic excuse for life. “You make me sick. If we didn’t need you, I’d kill you myself.”

  Whether it was the residue of their trip over the Styx, his association with Wes, or some newfound emotion within him, at that moment Talbot knew what he said was true. He’d kill Hades if he weren’t so vital to their cause.

  As they thundered through the open gates of the citadel Talbot spied all the empty buildings which had once housed people; thousands of inhabitants who had laughed and cried, known joy and wanted life. These same people had died horrendously, fooled into giving up their souls to the parasites known as the Keres. Talbot didn’t blame the Keres; it was their nature to do what they did. They were no more to blame than a leech was at fault for sucking a person’s blood. But Hades was a completely different story; he had blatantly murdered an entire city who had looked to him for guidance and leadership.

  As he looked around the empty city and thought about what had happened here, Talbot realized something else: he’d probably enjoy killing the man who had done this.