Into the Fire Part I: Requiem of Souls (Universe in Flames Book 9)

by Christian Kallias

“Your feelings betray you. And I know I have no right to tell you what to do, Chase. But I will anyway. Know that falling in love with a mortal is a very high price to pay for an immortal being. It may drive you insane like it did for me. I have no doubt that you are of a higher moral fiber than I ever was; in fact, I can feel it deep inside you; that bright light burning inside your soul, always ready to risk your life to save others. You are a pure soul, and I understand now why Aphroditis let my sweet Zalara die.”

  Chase’s face dropped.

  “What do you mean she let her die?”

  “She knew this would come to pass. I never understood why until the moment I arrived in the Underworld myself.”

  “I’m not sure I follow.”

  “My daughter sees possible futures as you know, and she must have known that the only way to defeat the Furies was for everything that had happened up until now, even her own acceptance to be tortured in that terrible machine, needed to happen, so you can rid the universe of Arakan and the Furies, once and for all.”

  Chase shivered listening to his grandfather. It echoed what Athena had told him as well. Zeus obviously had been doing a lot of thinking as of late. And Chase, indeed, could barely recognize the aggressive, angry and spiteful man that greeted him and Argos with lightning bolts.

  “Can I tell you something?”

  “Sure, Chase.”

  “I don’t believe in destiny. I know that perhaps this was all foretold, but I still believe that the actions we take on a daily basis are what shape this universe. Not a predestined prophecy or whatever you want to call it.”

  “And it is your right. I’m not saying there is a destiny, Chase, but I can’t ignore what my daughter has done in the name of saving every living being in the universe, how much she sacrificed, from the love of a grief-stricken father to the intense pain she is suffering even now.”

  Chase had to admit the argument was a pretty strong one. But nothing was preventing him from just giving up and letting the universe fall. Then the future would change, so he did not believe in a predetermined universe; free will made that impossible. He did recognize, however, that a force inside him compelled him to move forward, to end this quest that he had started when he first laid eyes on Aphroditis.

  Chase decided that it didn’t matter whether or not destiny was written. All that mattered was that he needed to kill Arakan, save both his aunt and father, and make sure the future he would leave his son, Chris, and countless other children, was a good one, based on compassion and love and not on hatred and thirst for conquest.

  “I understand. I’d love to stay and chat some more—”

  “But you must go get your father.”

  “And your daughter, too.”

  “At the risk of repeating myself, why haven’t you gone already? It’s quite uncharacteristic of you, if you don’t mind me saying.”

  “Last time I rushed toward danger, you died. Your brother, Poseidon, almost died as well, and we lost a lot of people and resources because we did exactly what Arakan expected of us. Arakan knew I would rush to save Odin and Asgard, and that it would provide the perfect distraction so he could move to Olympus, unchallenged. I thought that perhaps this time a pause and a carefully crafted plan couldn’t hurt.”

  Zeus humphed.

  “Don’t put my death on yourself. I know you mean well, but, Chase, you can’t be everywhere at once, and following your heart and your instinct is the reason why most of the people that matter to you are still alive. So do yourself a favor, and give yourself a break and even a pat on the back. You are not responsible for my death. In fact, I absolve you of that burden. I didn’t want Arakan to kill my brother, and I made a conscious choice to try and save him. I could have let Arakan strike and then try to kill him afterward, but that would have cost Poseidon his life. For once, I didn’t act with my own self-interest in mind, and I’m quite happy I listened to my heart. Even if it cost me my life; I don’t regret my decision, and neither should you.”

  “I see. Do you think you could have beaten Arakan if you had let him strike Poseidon first?”

  “It doesn’t matter now, Chase. He killed me, and your inability to heal my wounds means that whatever powers he has acquired are to be feared. If you can’t heal the people he strikes, you’ll need to be extra careful how you approach the final fight with him.”

  “Now do you understand why I’m not rushing toward danger like I usually do?”

  Zeus chuckled. “Touché. Indeed, perhaps now is a time to keep a cool head. You’ve always done what needed to be done, and you’ve been successful in defeating the odds repeatedly. Perhaps you taking the time to think things through is exactly what is needed this time around. But think not forever, Chase.”

  Chase nodded solemnly. “I won’t.”

  HADES SEEMED SHOCKED when Chase told him that Zeus accepted the request to take his place as ruler of the Underworld in his stead.

  “You seem surprised?”

  “Why wouldn’t I be? I don’t know what you did to my Father but obviously he’s changed a lot since he’s met you. He didn’t care for anyone but himself before.”

  Chase had felt the turmoil and rage inside Zeus’ soul when they had first met, and he could see why people closest to him thought he might be self-centered. But Chase had also detected more feelings in the ruler of Olympus below the hardened surface he presented to the outside world.

  “You know, I think Zeus was misunderstood. He was suffering and perhaps you and the rest of your family thought he didn’t care for you, when in fact he does care for his loved ones. The fact that he’s accepted to take your place here, and the fact that he was killed trying to save your brother, Poseidon, should at the very least elicit some sympathy. I’m not saying he hasn’t made mistakes, but who hasn’t?”

  “I see what you’re trying to do, Chase. And I thank you for caring, but I have accepted a long time ago that my brother isn’t perfect. I am glad, however, to see that his last few days in the realm of the living have taught him some good family values.”

  “Fair enough, I guess. Now what?”

  “Now, I get the hell out of this place. I knew the moment you first came down here that you were different and that the winds of change would follow in your wake.”

  “You knew?”

  “Well, I felt; more like a gut feeling.”

  “So, you’re getting back to the living. I know you’ve already expressed your opinion on the matter, but we could really use you in our fight against the Furies.”

  Hades sighed. “Look, I’m glad I served my role as a mentor in a time of need and allowed you to unlock more of your potential, but we both know you are way more powerful now than I ever was. In the Underworld, I possessed more powers because this is, well was, my realm. Now that you unlocked the power of the Ultra Fury, what possible use could I be to you?”

  “There is strength in numbers, Hades.”

  “Perhaps, but I have longed to leave this place more years than you have been alive. Can you fault me for wanting to taste freedom on my own terms?”

  Chase understood Hades’ point of view. And it was only fair that he didn’t leave a prison just to be faced with mortal danger. Still, Chase hoped his former mentor would join the fight.

  “I can’t imagine how frustrating this must have been, so no, I can’t fault you for wanting to taste freedom.”

  “Fret not, though, Chase. I’m sure our paths will cross again, in due time.”

  Chase frowned but nodded anyway.

  “Where to?”

  “Anywhere but here. If it was still there, I would go to Olympus. I miss my home world and I wish I could have seen it one more time. But that’s not an option anymore. So, let’s say the farthest planet away from the conflict at the moment.”

  “I’m not sure any planet is safe at this point.”

  Hades smiled.

  “I can take care of myself. Should we go now?”

  “Yeah, let’s go.”

 
Chase put his hand on Hades’ shoulder and they disappeared from the Underworld.

  THE AMOUNT of pain Menelas was under was like nothing he had experienced before. Even after months of torture at the hands of Arakan, nothing felt as acute and overwhelming as the pain coursing through his body right at this moment.

  He couldn’t tell how much time had passed since Arakan activated whatever the hell was shooting electricity inside of him. It paralyzed his muscles, and also made it excruciatingly difficult for him to try and form a thought in his head. Had it been minutes or days, he couldn’t tell.

  While thinking coherently was almost impossible for Menelas, he still managed to keep an image in the center of his mind. The one of his children; the most vivid image he had of them was when they were toddlers.

  Laiyos. Argos.

  They were undoubtedly coming to Erevos, but if they came to rescue him, they would get killed.

  The pain intensified, and Menelas lost his train of thought. He needed to isolate the physical pain so he could at least keep more than a couple of fleeting thoughts alive in his mind.

  Dying wasn’t an option either. He had to survive, to fight Arakan and make sure the Supreme Commander of the Furies would be stopped.

  Menelas focused on one of his children only, Laiyos. He brought back the last memory he had of him and focused all his attention on it. The relentless pain he felt made it hard, but eventually, over time, he managed to focus on the image of his young son and let his love for him tone down the physical pain.

  Hours might have passed when Menelas finally found a little piece of heaven inside his suffering body; in a hidden corner of his soul, he could at least think. He didn’t know for how long.

  His next thought was of Athena. The woman he loved more than anything in this universe. She had given him his two sons, even though she had refused to raise them. Athena was a proud Olympian War General, and she had always put duty before anything else. Or so she had let transpire anyway. Menelas always suspected that she was more afraid of how Zeus would react to the idea of hybrid Olympian-Fury offspring rather than the duty-first excuse she served him when they discussed what would happen to the children once they were born.

  Arakan had promised Menelas he would get her next, and he couldn’t let that happen. No matter what it took, no matter the amount of pain and suffering he would have to endure, he would stay alive, get out of this hellhole and make sure Athena wouldn’t get hurt.

  Menelas felt that whatever respite he had bought inside his soul wouldn’t last for much longer. So, he thought of Laiyos once more. Focused all his attention on his child and tried with all his heart to send a message to him. He had no idea if that was even possible, but he had to try. Arakan had called his son Chase, so while he thought of him as Laiyos in his heart, he used his son’s new name in his desperate attempt to contact him.

  Chase, if you can hear me, this is your father. Don’t come to Erevos; it’s a trap.

  WHEN CHASE RETURNED to their quarters, Sarah was sound asleep on their bed. He sat next to her and passed his hand affectionately through her hair.

  “I love you,” he whispered.

  She moaned and turned in the bed, now facing him.

  Chase smiled and went to kiss her forehead. He didn’t realize she had felt his presence and when he tried to move away, she had her arms around his neck. She opened her eyes and smiled.

  “Going somewhere, soldier?”

  “Sorry, love. I didn’t mean to wake you. You looked so peaceful.”

  “Don’t worry about me. I’m glad you’re back. You’ve been going so many places lately. I seldom have any time to see you.”

  Sarah brought Chase’s face closer to hers and kissed him passionately.

  Chase lay on the bed next to her and held Sarah in his arms for what felt like an eternity. A perfect moment in time. Only minutes had passed, but the mere fact that for just that short amount of time he allowed himself to be in the moment, to exist only for the two of them, had allowed him to stretch the passing of time so it felt longer. And he needed her, he needed her warmth, her love and to feel her heart beat next to his.

  Chase couldn’t remember the last time he had just let go of everything, his worries, his fears, his responsibilities.

  “Are you alright?” inquired Sarah.

  “I’m fine, love. In fact, right this minute I’m more than fine. This is perfect. I wish this moment would last forever.”

  “Awww, you’re such a romantic.”

  Chase smiled.

  “You know,” Sarah continued. “Once we defeat the Furies, we’ll finally be able to just enjoy our lives; to be together, you, me and Chris.”

  “I know. But first we have to deal with Arakan and his minions. Something tells me that whatever we’ve faced up until now was nothing compared to what awaits us next.”

  “I don’t know about ‘nothing’, but I understand that you must be weary of fighting.”

  “Not only fighting,” said Chase as a tear ran down his cheek. “But also of losing people close to me, to us.”

  “I know. This is war, Chase. I know neither of us have asked for it, and I wish we could just turn back to the time where I was helping you discover Earth’s cuisine, on that wonderful night when Chris was conceived. Even though it had been a really hard time for my home world, things seemed so much simpler back then. I was in love with you, and I could feel your love as well. Not much else mattered back then.”

  “Yes, our first date on Earth was perfect. I’ll cherish that memory forever.”

  They merged as one into the night, and for almost an hour, the rest of the world didn’t exist, their problems faded into the void of space.

  6

  Argos deflected the incoming fireball with the back of his hand. It exploded on the force field surrounding the training cargo bay. He then thrust himself forward and unleashed a powerful kick that hit nothing but air.

  Before he could turn around, Chris’ knee connected with his cheek and sent him crashing toward the nearest wall. Argos jumped back to his feet and wiped some blood from the corner of his mouth.

  “You’re getting faster,” said Argos with a smile.

  “Or you’re slowing down; you seem a little off. Are you sure you want to keep training?”

  Argos had indeed been overthinking lately. He was surprised he mourned the loss of Zeus as much as he did. Perhaps because they hadn’t had as much interaction like Chase had. Part of Argos wished he had known his grandfather better before he fell in combat.

  “Don’t worry about me, I can still kick your ass if I want to.”

  “Then I suggest you try harder, because you’ve yet to deliver a single threatening blow today. Should I adjust the gravity to a lower setting?”

  Argos knew his nephew meant well, but the angry feeling for revenge that was building up inside his soul didn’t help his overall mood. Still, Argos knew taking it out on Chase’s boy wouldn’t be fair.

  “No, that’s alright. I’ll get my head back into the game.”

  Chris tilted his head to the side.

  “Do you want to talk about what’s bothering you?”

  “You’re kind, Chris, but I’m okay.”

  “I can feel you’re not, so perhaps we should stop for now—”

  Argos threw himself at Chris and unleashed a series of combos that the boy dodged and blocked with great proficiency.

  “Thank you,” said Argos simply, with a wink.

  “Anytime, Uncle.”

  Chris somersaulted over Argos and fired three green fireballs at him before landing. Argos deflected the first two and blocked the last one with his right hand. His aura cast crimson tones around him as his eyes flashed red. As his eyes glowed, the fireball he still held in his hand changed color slowly to a bloody red.

  Argos fired it back at Chris and almost immediately disappeared from where he was standing. Chris tried blocking the fireball the same way Argos had a moment earlier but was surprised by how much m
ore powerful the attack had on its way back. Chris skidded on the floor for a few yards before a flurry of other fireballs homed in on his position from all around him.

  Chris expanded his aura at lightning speed, his eyes shining green in the process, as he crushed the fireball inside his hand. Before the next dozen fireballs impacted, he performed a rotating kick in the air and kept spinning faster and faster. The resulting hurricane kick deflected the incoming fireballs.

  When the last attack had been deflected, Chris progressively spun slower. Argos could tell he was trying to re-establish contact with him, but the Fury was moving fast enough to always stay behind his nephew. When Chris landed on the ground, Argos made his move.

  He plunged his knee toward Chris’ back, knowing full well Chris would see the attack coming a mile away. As predicted, Chris spun and slashed his foot in the air, trying to catch Argos in the face. But Argos spun on himself as he approached and countered Chris’ kick with his knee, something he could feel the boy didn’t expect. This gave Argos just the edge he needed to land a powerful elbow strike that impacted with Chris’ cheek and sent him crashing toward the nearest wall, illuminating the force field in the process.

  Blood ran from Chris’ nose.

  “Are you alright?” inquired Argos.

  Chris smirked.

  “Don’t worry about me. I’m glad to see you got your head back into our training session. Don’t stop now, and for the love of gods, don’t hold out so much; I’m not made of porcelain.”

  Argos smiled as he extended an arm forward before unleashing a veritable cascade of fireballs toward his nephew.

  WHEN CHASE and Sarah teleported to a majestic looking world, Sarah looked up into the purple tinged night sky and saw the alignment of planets.

  “This place is beautiful; have you been here before?”

  “You could say that. I— I kinda destroyed this place in a vision.”

  “Ah…Is that the one you told me about, when you thought I had died in that vision?”