by J N Moon
Like a gentle breeze, Apollo stepped forward, touching Triton’s arm, a slight shimmer of gold light travelled up it, “Well not Typhon, no, that would be Gaia.” Then looking to us, “She is angry at immortals, we surmise I might add, angry that we have not intervened in the human’s ravaging of the planet. Gaia always believed that we, the Gods should rule the humans, as we did thousands of years ago. But things change and we already know a shift is coming to the mortals of the Earth. Gaia it seems is impatient but it is she who controls Typhon.” Extending his arms fully to make his point, “We however, none of us can stand up to her, she is the Earth, the world in which we live. Plagues, natural disasters, these are all her doing. But Typhon, we might have a chance, be it slim at best.” He looked away, unconvinced of his own words.
“If we don’t stop him, then the other creatures, his children, they’ll ravage the Earth?”
Looking directly at me, his eyes slightly softer now, Zeus answered me, “They’ve already arrived Emma Blakesley. They’ve already arrived.”
“Teran did what he did to survive, though fool that he is, there is no way he could withstand Typhon,” Athena remarked.
Luke answered her, clearing his throat, “No, he was going to leave the sea and hide away on land, but my kin... I had no idea?”
“Are you absolutely sure that they’re dead, I mean...” Marcus interrupted.
“The Nephilim, here by the grace of God, but which God is that? The Christian deity? Look at you, fallen from Christ, and now feeding on the blood of humans, consorting with vampires... and for me, what has become of my once great city, my city in the heaven’s!” Zeus roared.
Triton interrupted, “We’re wasting time with your petty worries, my people are dead and dying and you, our leader is complaining about the calibre of beings before you when we are the only ones, yourself excluded, that are willing to fight! I think the smarter question is, ‘What’s happened to you?’ But that’s for another time. Athena, what can we do right now to help the Atlanteans?”
Ignoring Zeus’s moans, Athena replied, “Luke, Emma, you take Zeus’s lightning bolts and Emma charge them with your power, but both of you, once you see Typhon, you need to be fast. Like the bolts you carry, charge them Emma, then hurl them and get away.”
“Lucius, does anything spring to mind, something to stop this atrocity from moving?”
“Yes, it might work... since he’s so big, I doubt it will hold him for long...”
Athena raised her voice so loud, glass would have shattered, “Pegasus!” Then speaking normally to me, “I’ve changed my mind, Luke take no offense but you will, on second thought, be too slow.”
I took a sharp intake of breath as a huge arctic white stallion trotted in, his huge eyes glancing around. He walked over to Athena who rubbed his nose affectionately. “I need you to take Emma to the ocean, Typhon has emerged. She will cast the lightning bolts into him but she needs the fastest of them all to take her there and then both of you get out, fast. Pegasus, I am loathed to ask you, but...”
“Stop! I will take her, I will be slower than Pegasus, I know. But I have the ability to breathe fire, and with lightning we should have the advantage.”
“I will go with Luke, there’s no need to risk more lives. We started this, had I not gone after Luke and asked for Triton’s help...”
“Alright, but know that Typhon had risen before you arrived,” she rubbed Pegasus’s nose again, he in turn brushed up against her arm. The relief in her face was evident, Zeus belted out, “I will not sit here like an old man and wait, I will help this next generation of immortals, even though...”
“Yes, yes old man, even though we make you sick!” Kai piped in. Shock was written over Zeus’s face, but Kai dismissed him.
“Gaia is angry, she has a right to be, once Typhon is down but we still have the problem, the problem with the...”
“Enough, one problem at a time,” Apollo raised his hand. “We cannot very well teach the mortals the errors of their ways if we are all ourselves wiped out, now can we. And we’re hardly innocent in all of this anyway, so let’s proceed. Emma, you and Luke should return here after, do not dither.”
Looking at Luke, he raised his eyebrows, would we die trying? Possibly but to be together, we clenched each other’s hands until our knuckles went white, I didn’t want to let him go again.
“Come, I will show you where to find the beast,” Athena whispered, eyeing our hands, her eyes kind.
“Lucius, are you coming, too?” I asked, my free hand on his arm.
“Of course, Em, of course.” His voice softly shaky. Before I followed Athena, I went to Triton, he stood there, his face expressionless, stone, holding it all in. I grabbed his hand, said nothing but caught his eye, then went to Kai and did the same, still holding Luke’s hand.
“Luke, all these people helped you escape, Lucius, Kai, Triton. Without them...” he let go of my hand, his face red with worry, frown lines cut deep, gravelly voiced, he reached for Kai’s hand, taking it in both of his, “Thank you.” Turning to Triton, but Triton put his hand up, a barrier, “No need Luke, no need at all. It’s what I do, just help my people.”
We left the room, Zeus strode ahead with Athena and as we left the palace walls, the mountain, raised as it was, seemed higher than before. Holding back a gasp as clouds drifted not far above us, and Athena pointed far off in the distance, then speaking to Luke, “If you hold your course just west of the sun, you cannot fail to miss it.” We were interrupted by Pegasus and Apollo, “No, you will stay here, your days of battle are done,” she mused to the beast. But Zeus, it seemed, had other ideas, “Not at all, he can take me, we will lead these two young immortals and the demon. You will entertain the angel and the werewolves, but perhaps, the angel will join us? Well Nephilim, have you any celestial powers?”
“I do, of course, I am a warrior after all. I will accompany them, and act if necessary.”
Smirking, Zeus eyed Marcus, “Good, it will be interesting, maybe fun to fight alongside a warrior from the Christian God. Old and new working together, two religions...”
Huge marble pillars stood all around in an open top room, walking to the edge it overlooked the sea far below, Luke walked towards me, his cracked lips on mine, his tired eyes, we held each other for a few minutes then he undressed from what little he had left, fell forward violently onto his knees and convulsed.
Gasping, Athena was transfixed, perhaps she hadn’t seen transformation for some time, Zeus, with a small smile readied himself, reaching his right arm up, lightning bolts rained down as he caught them in his hand. Nodding at me, I knew now what to do and as my love’s bones cracked, skin split, yelling, I centred myself. Charging up this weird gift, from my feet power surged through me like electricity making my limbs shake, something stirred and I almost choked.
Lucius muttered chanting, opening my eyes as a wind brushed strongly past me, my lover, my dragon man, turning his massive head looked into my soul, I looked to Lucius whose face was full of trepidation, furrowed brow, part fear, part excitement and we climbed carefully up the ridges of the dragon.
“Come now, let us kill the bastard!” Zeus roared as he sat upon Pegasus, Luke running alongside the stallion, that take off- breath-taking. Lucius holding onto me for dear life as I gripped the ridges on Luke’s dragon back, soaring together over the ocean with Pegasus, Zeus laughing deeply as we searched for the tyrannical monster set on destroying everything.
Breathing into it, we flew low above the waves, the spray misting over us before soaring higher and higher to the cloud line, the cold air blasting past us. I felt the blood pumping through my dragon, his heart hammering as Lucius dug his hands in ever deeper, Zeus laughing, “Come on then, it’s time!”
In the distance the sunlight faded fast as I realised a huge black mountain was blocking it out, moving slowly. I gulped, realising this must be Typhon, suddenly huge black wings opened up blocking out everything behind it.
Luke pulsed
forward, Pegasus and Zeus were pushed back by the wind from this monster’s wings beating. Luke belted out fire, twisting slightly and climbing higher.
Looking behind, I caught Zeus’s eye, he let go of the lightning bolts, which flew at me. Letting go with my left hand, I worried for a split second how the bloody hell I would catch them, but he must’ve willed them to me. They all came one by one to me, gripping them tightly as Lucius muttered, and Luke took us over the top of the father of all monsters, I summoned my power. Now I had to let go, squeezing on with my legs, fear shooting through me, I grabbed a bolt and hurled it at Typhon like a spear.
It struck, not doubt less to do with my aim, more to do with Zeus and Luke, I repeated this, the bolts went from white light to bright red-gold, spray from the ocean as the colossal beast thrashed around, salt in mouth and my heart smashed against my ribs. Feeling Lucius’s hand clinging into my side, his other hand waving around as he cast spells at this monster. Luke soared up so fast I lost my breath, turning swiftly and like a bullet charging, fire belting at Typhon, me hurling bolts, Zeus and Pegasus now joined and together we attacked in unison. Typhon grabbed at Luke, then Pegasus trying to grab us. Roaring, its voice trembled through all of us, as it couldn’t grab us with his massive lumbering arms, his wings beating up a tornado of water from the ocean in which he stood, then standing tall, the sky black, wet spray and wind forcing us back, he splashed up sea water and we were forced back, retreating to Olympus.
Glancing behind, he followed slowly, Pegasus looked strained, blood poured from his flanks, Typhon must’ve got him, maybe Luke, too. The dragon panted as he soared away. Worried that he might actually follow us to the haven of Olympus, I turned, grabbed hold of Lucius and widened my eyes. He matched my facial movements, but his eyes full of shock and we tumbled off of Luke down into that wild ocean into the path of Typhon.
I screamed a message to Lucius, who frowned in acknowledgment, and let go of me, as the huge, cold hand of Typhon wrapped itself around me, and pulled me to his face to inspect this insignificant creature foolish enough to stand up to him.
Fear paralysed me, but I saw the others had gained some distance. Zeus took Pegasus away and Luke circled back, I didn’t want that. But then I noticed Marcus, Marcus! A huge spear in one hand, with something massive lodged onto the end, he flew to Luke, then stood astride Luke’s back, heading right for us. Luke belted out fire. As Typhon went to protect his face from fire, I wriggled, terrified he would just crush me.
Marcus, seeing me distract the beast for a few seconds as Luke flew as fast as a tornado, he thrust the spear, it hurled fast. I saw a bolt with it and it lodged straight into Typhons mouth. Luke bellowed more fire as Marcus flew fast down and grabbed me in the split second that Typhon let go to get whatever Marcus had shoved in his mouth. Luke was already heading back, Marcus seized me, I was panting heavily and I crumpled into his arms as he flew higher, faster. His black, feathered wings beating quicker and quicker.
Placing me down slowly, I collapsed in a heap. I could hear Luke changing back and Zeus laughing. Looking up, Athena had already healed Pegasus who was making his way to me, nudging his head into my side.
Conor pulled me up with Marcus as Apollo handed me wine, wine of the Gods and I chugged the glass in one gulp before my lover had even changed back.
Looking out across the ocean, a black mass covered the sunset, rising higher and higher, the ground trembled, massive ridged pillars surrounding us shook as Typhon stomped.
“What did you do, what did you put in his mouth?
Now Apollo laughed, hard and loud, “Well, it was Pegasus here who gave us the idea! Pegasus, well he was thousands of years ago, kidnapped by Bellerophon, a mortal who slew monsters. To kill the deadly chimera, Bellerophon placed a wedge of lead on the end of his spear and thrust it into the Chimera’s mouth. The chimera, having breath as hot as fire, choked on the lead which on contact melted and blocked his air pipe. Now this won’t stop Typhon, but... it bought us time. And you, you all exceeded our expectations, but where’s the demon? He didn’t die?”
“Lucius is fine, he’s doing something for me, I had an idea...”
Ghost.
Lucius
I swear people think that because I’m a demon, I don’t know fear. I wish that was true, but I do and now I was back in this ocean, this time without the Triton’s for help or the Selkie and I knew, call it intuition or call it experience, that the only things I would come across would be evil. Maybe it’s my pessimistic nature, being a demon...
I had to make my way back to Atlantis, at least this time I wasn’t that far away and I wished more than anything I could be, you know, normal. Do normal demonic things like possess people, have excessive sex with humans, my lineage is after all a incubus and not have such an inquisitive mind that has me in this freezing water, struggling against strong current with the father of all monsters wanting my head- yeah I never obeyed my parents and I don’t think he’ll just ground me.
Diving deeper, desolation surrounded me. From the beginning of my journey into the sea where I was surrounded by fish, their rainbow colours glistening under the rays peeking through the ocean, but now just death. Bodies of fish, seals and birds floated above me like a sky full of death and still that cursed monster thrashes. Whatever is Gaia thinking, though she’s done this countless times just not to this extreme. The Gods are temperamental, petulant even. Which would be fine were they mortal and children!
My mind quickly came up with a spell that had me charging through the water, arms out ahead to miss the corpses, the remnants of ships and boats, dodging them quickly, my limbs thrumming with anxiety. If Typhon got hold of me he’d crush me slowly, or eat me, either way painfully and then I’d have to wait until a human believes in the terror of me- a demon, to become physical... or worse I’d get caught in purgatory, no man’s land or worse still... Hell. I’d done some bad, very bad things in the past...
Shuddering at that thought, I decided to focus on the task at hand, but where the shit is Poseidon? Emma, unbeknown to both of us, shouted a message and I found myself doing this, but firstly, can I and secondly, will it work, if I can find the bloody thing. If I knew where Poseidon was... but then even Zeus, the wily old bugger, didn’t know that except he was probably held hostage or maybe dead...
Relief and anxiety both gripped me, relief that I was at Atlantis but anxiety at the desolation around me. The bodies of mermen and women floated, decapitated, the magnificent buildings, now a shell, crumbled walls, destruction everywhere and I didn’t even know where to look.
Diving deeper, no light shone down here, the beautiful bioluminescent creatures, their bodies scattered like my heart, my soul such as it is, sank with me as I swam further and further into the deep with no way of knowing where I was going, just allowing something else to guide me. I seemed to be diving, swimming for ever, blackness surrounding me, only a fleck of light peeking out here and there, brushing against corpses, objects from the city that bobbed here, forgotten, lost.
Something grabbed my attention, I stopped in horror as tentacles grabbed me, pulling at me fast, heat flooded me as I knew this was it, my death. Hell again, now no escape but I thrashed like the demon I am, that I was born to be, but they only grew tighter, choking me.
Lucky for me then I don’t actually breathe but this creature didn’t know that, so fighting my instincts, I let my body go limp and let it pull me into a small cavern, hoping it wouldn’t eat me. I’m physical but not like you, as I’m not human. I have ability to be corporeal or not, but that depends. Sometimes fear stops me from doing anything, sometimes magic keeps me like you. It’s hard shifting from one thing to another and every time I do that, I feel closer to a demon’s death.
Still, the beast seemed content that I appeared dead and I drifted, aware that time was against me and Typhon could be attacking my friends right now, so in an instant, I sped up and swam into the abyss, immediately tentacles grabbed at me, pulling me back.
Chanting a spell, “Per Virtutem operum Salomonis tergum manere!”
By the Power of Solomon, stay back...
It worked for a second and twisted fear in my gut, I had to stay solid otherwise I couldn’t do what Emma asked, in that ocean, is it possible to cry? Tears flooded out, fear, losing my friends, the threat of that place, deeper, darker, emptiness except the creature tugging at me. But still I continued, immersed in the black, freezing water with only a monster for company.
Vibrations rang through me, Typhon was abroad, mustering all my energy, my arms in front of me, I had no idea where I was going, I could see nothing. Seized with dread, my stomach clamped but I went further losing the creature, now the ice water got warmer, and I slowed down.
My heart pounding, in the distance a faint glow of gold, the slightest flicker and I knew I’d found it. I felt it, like energy thrumming through me, carefully edging nearer, its size... much bigger than me, Poseidon’s Trident. It’s power almost sent me backwards, I stood in wonder as the golden thronged spear glinted brilliance in the ominous, inky blackness. But oddly a calm surrounded me, now I was in front of it, now it didn’t seem threatening. These talismans know the user, their intentions and Poseidon’s was one of the strongest, had my intent been ill, I was pretty sure to touch it would kill me.
A thrill of excitement rushed through me, never before has a demon, just a demon wielded such a weapon, I wondered how it would feel?
Tentatively I mustered everything I had, I walked along the barren sea bed, still slightly afraid to touch it if I’m honest, in case it destroyed me, but I clamped my hands around it, picked it up, my body relaxing, I’d done it! I’d stolen the Trident. Now with this weapon, I willed it to take me to Olympus, a home it knew, make no doubt these magical weapons have an esprit of their own, and holding it until my knuckles were white, it led me out of there at a speed which I couldn’t fathom, but without incident. Yelling like a madman as objects came close, the deep monster blurred past me, it sped like a tornado being thrust out of a submarine...