War God's Mantle- Underworld

by James Hunter

  Armed to the teeth, I left the night behind and led my army of Amazons down into the darkness.

  Staircase Through the Stars

  WE’D BEEN UNDERGROUND before—more than once, actually—and none of the experiences had been pleasant. The first time, I’d ended up going toe to toe with a murderous Gorgon by the name of Stheno. And the second time around? I’d run headlong into a primordial world stranded outside of time and space—the dwelling place of nightmare dinosaurs, prehistoric horrors, and Kronos, the god of time.

  Hopefully, this descent with Persephone was going to be way, way different.

  This time we were armed to the teeth, ready for anything that might come our way. We had a caravan of steam-powered vehicles pulling ballistae and trailers, each about five feet wide and ten feet long. Thymos Crystal lanterns and brilliantly flickering firebrands lit our way through the dark, dispelling every shadow, ensuring nothing would get the drop on us. We’d brought every Beastiamancer in the stable, so we had a small army of bears, bulls, and winged horses at our disposal. We were a hundred strong—a hundred and two actually, if you counted me and Persephone—and we’d brought enough weapons to equip every single Amazon twice over.

  We’d come to kick ass and chew bubblegum, and we were fresh out of bubblegum.

  The drawback, however, was that we crawled along slower than molasses and we made as much noise as a screaming freight train.

  Still, despite that, our spring goddess said we should be okay until we hit the Submerged Labyrinth. She’d talked about that and two other places when we’d first interrogated her.

  Phoebe, given her obsession with the modern world, said it sounded like a Dora the Explorer episode. First you go through the Submerged Labyrinth, then past the Ghosts of Minos Omega, and then you’ll get to the Olympian Library. ¡Ándale, ándale!

  According to Persephone, once we reached the Olympian Library, we’d be able to find a way into the Temple of Hades at the southern end of the island. Then I’d get my chance to skull-stomp Earl Necro Earl once and for all.

  The cavern, though descending, had a relatively even floor, and our wagon train was able to bounce and jostle across rocks, squeeze through crevices, and break through stalagmites without much trouble. At one point, we had to tilt the Harvesters to get past two huge stalactites, but with Myrina, Ariadne, and me, we had the strength to lift the machines and slide them through on two wheels.

  We’d dropped about five hundred feet, well below the ocean floor, when the tunnel hooked sharply right and widened into a gigantic room, the walls rough, the ceilings high and studded with rocky protrusions like sleeping bats. I’d gone to see Chicago Bears games at Soldier Field, and this place was easily as big as that. After the narrow passageway down, I appreciated the wide-open space, though it was a little disconcerting—all that space. And would the stalactite ceiling come tumbling down on us?

  Surprisingly, the cavern floor was a colorful mosaic of the Olympian Gods and I recognized all your old favorites—everyone from Apollo and Artemis to Aphrodite and Hephaestus. Hermes was frozen in flight, one arm outstretched, winged sandals adorning his feet. Then there was Hera, looking dour and moody as always. Zeus snarled, a lightning bolt grasped in one oversized hand. He was the spitting image of the man I’d seen when I fought Cronos.

  Our caravan rolled on, the heavy wheels crunching over the dusty floor, and approached a temple built into the far side of the cavern wall. Columns, friezes, arches—the whole nine yards. It reminded me of Petra in Jordan, only about a hundred times bigger. You could be fifty feet tall and strut through the columns without having to worry about ducking. Enormous, ornate statues marched off to either side of the temple—the chief members of the Greek pantheon present and accounted for, including yours truly. An intimidating-looking group.

  Loxo and Sophia slipped away from the rest of the caravan to run recon and check for any nasty surprises that might be waiting for us. They made a good pair. As a Huntress, Loxo could move like a whisper and blend seamlessly into the shadows, effectively becoming invisible with a thought. And if she got into too much trouble, Sophia would grab her and teleport her out of harm’s way. It was one of the reasons why Loxo hadn’t been killed in the Caverns of Entomo when we’d fought the prehistoric Titan.

  While we waited, I surveyed the long line of statues—Zeus, Hera, Poseidon, Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Ares, Artemis, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Hermes, Hestia, Dionysus, Hades, and Persephone. If there had been a battle among the gods, I couldn’t help but wonder how the lines had been drawn. Ares and Hephaestus must’ve been on opposite sides, and surely, Hades had fought against the War God. But who else had fought with the god of death? I had no idea. From the blank look on Persephone’s face, neither did she.

  She caught me glancing at her and blushed, red creeping up her cheeks and down her slender neck. “OMZ, I cannot believe the artist made me look so thin. I should be a great deal more thick.”

  Phoebe was right there with a quip. Thicc with a “c?” Isn’t that what you would say in modern times?

  Something like that, I sent back.

  “My mother looks spot on, however,” the spring goddess said, pointing to a woman holding a sheaf of wheat in one hand and two sickles in the other. That would be Demeter.

  “So who fought who in the Olympian War?” I asked.

  She paused for a second, eyes distant and hazy as though she could almost remember, but only almost. “My mother was for Zeus,” she finally said. “I remember that. It was why I couldn’t fight for my husband. Well, that and a billion other reasons. No, never. I could never try to hurt my mother. So, I stayed in the Underworld while they travelled to various battlefields across time and space.”

  “Across time and space,” I echoed her words, thinking back to my time in the land of Cronos. I wanted to follow up, but the wet plop of Funkyhoof pooping made me forget about the Olympian War.

  Kimmie, a freckle-faced redhead on the back of the bull blanched. “Sorry, War God,” she muttered, sounding rather mortified.

  Loxo and Sophia emerged from the temple entrance a moment later, looking none the worse for the wear—which probably meant the coast was clear.

  “I hope you appreciate stairs,” Loxo said. “For there are a great many stairs that ... well ...” Her voice faded. A combination of frustration and fright flashed across her face in turns.

  “What is it?” Myrina demanded.

  “It is very strange,” Sophia said, when it became clear that Loxo was having trouble speaking. “The steps are wide enough for our vehicles, but there is no explaining them. You should come and look.”

  “Yes, I recall the steps. I keep very fit in the Underworld,” Persephone said. “I have a daily exercise regiment and very precise diet to keep me plump.”

  Shit you can’t explain? Engineers love to hear that. I’m so there! Phoebe walked her mech through the columns. Myrina and I hurried after her, Persephone trailing a short way behind us.

  Asteria—currently in the form of a blue saber-toothed cat—looked incredibly bored; she was busy licking her paw and swiping it over her head, a deep purr rumbling in her chest. She hadn’t reverted to her human form since before dinner, when we’d divvied up our points and worked on levelling. If she went complete cat on us, she’d be forever distracted.

  Persephone, my generals, and I followed Loxo and Sophia through the columns and under an archway, and then we started down the steps. The rest of the army would wait while we figured out just what the issue was.

  On instinct, I drew the War Blade. The crackling lightning wreathing the sword offered us light. The staircase was about a dozen feet across, plenty wide enough for our vehicles, and the stairs themselves were only about six inches tall. The wheels could maneuver down them without an issue since my Rune-Casters had equipped each wagon with a magical suspension system. There was plenty of vertical clearance, so that wasn’t an issue either. The walls around us were smooth, completely polished stone. They refle
cted the light of my sword, and I could see our faces mirrored there.

  Loxo materialized out of the scant shadows.

  Persephone yelped, clutching her gauzy dress as though she’d just seen a pesky mouse.

  “I apologize, goddess,” the Huntress said, dipping her head.

  “Doesn’t look too weird yet, Loxo,” I said, shrugging one shoulder. “Why are you freaking out?”

  “For the record, I am not freaking out.” She gave me a half-lidded glare and then retreated, disappearing completely.

  “Don’t use all your Skiá,” I warned, voice echoing off the ceiling. “We’ll need you to do more sneaking around.”

  “I have plenty,” a disembodied voice whispered. “Besides, I got a vial of Skiá. I sipped it. Not bad.”

  Myrina, completely ignoring our banter, trudged forward, forehead scrunched as she studied the passage. She’d come loaded for bear. On her back was her triple threat of javelins: ice, fire, and lightning. Clutched in her hands was a brand-new spear, which I’d engraved with Aceso’s Blessing. When she used it, she had five points added to her Strength. I’d also imbued her xiphos—the short sword hanging at her side—with a power rune.

  We descended farther, Phoebe’s mech easily taking the stairs on its four spider-like legs. The smell of her engine burning a combination of coal and Thymos Crystals lingered in the air like a smoky perfume. Suspended from the front of the mech was a retractable arm bearing a blazing lantern. Her face was screwed up in concentration—chances were, she was surveying the angle of the steps, running the numbers in her head, deciding whether the vehicles could make it down. The stairs snaked gently to the left, rounding a bend ...

  The breath caught in my chest.

  Around us, the walls fell away, and suddenly, we found ourselves standing on a wide landing etched with glowing golden runes. Darkness stretched off in every direction, interrupted by glimmering lights and swirls of rainbow color.

  My jaw nearly hit the deck as I saw the bizarre scene in front of us. It was no wonder Loxo and Sophia hadn’t been able to describe what they’d seen—shit, I was seeing it right now, and I still couldn’t believe my eyes. Dead ahead was a host of staircases and walkways hanging in the air like an LSD-fueled M.C. Escher painting. The staircases joined together at impossible angles, defying every known law of physics, some leading up, others jutting off to the left and right in a tangle of impossible architecture, while more spiraled down, disappearing out of sight.

  The stairs were absolutely everywhere, and nothing held up the stone steps nor the walkways. Not a single damned thing.

  Each of the staircases were wide enough to accommodate our wagons, but the sheer dizzying impossibility of it all froze me on the spot.

  Well, this is an architect’s fondest wet dream or his worst nightmare, Phoebe sent. But look at the walls? Or are those walls? Are those diamonds twinkling?

  “I think those are stars,” I whispered, squinting as I studied the lights and the odd swirling, glowing clouds.

  Movement to my right caught my eye. I wheeled around, ready to strike as a massive chunk of ice and rock hurtled past us like a race car, trailing a tail of ice and gas behind it. The ball careened into the stairs, phasing through them as though they were ghostly apparitions, then promptly continued right on its merry way. Unless I was terribly mistaken, that was a fucking comet. Like a real-life comet. Like in space. Which meant the glinting lights really were stars ... Which meant the swirling balls of colors had to be galaxies, spinning round and round.

  What in the hell was this place?

  Phoebe’s voice hit me. How long did skinny here take to make the trip from the Temple of Hades? She’s immortal, so she might’ve walked for centuries. We have less than six hours.

  Persephone saw the concern on our faces. “It’s not too far now. Four more hours, tops. We just need to travel down a short way. There’s a landing below that should connect to the doorway I emerged from.” She pointed to where the spiraling steps levelled off to become a straight line, far below us. It ended at a landing, which, in turn, connected to a host of other haphazard, oddly joined staircases.

  “The Stair can reach any number of places,” the spring goddess continued, “and it is easy to get lost.” She stopped and grinned excitedly. Did she clap her hands? Yep, she did, just like a schoolgirl getting that ever-elusive A+. “Oh my Zeus! A memory. The Stair, yes, I remember the gods talking about it. The great Olympians used it to walk across the universe. It can be a dangerous place if we aren’t careful. There are things on the Stair, hungry things, unknown to god or man.”

  “Good,” Myrina said flatly, one hand clamping down tightly on the shaft of her spear. “Jacob could use more battle to get his experience points. He squandered his last Ability Point on Smite. He should’ve increased his Plague Locust. Once he levels up, he can then choose more wisely.”

  Phoebe’s face went slack, and I knew she was messaging Myrina. Probably warning her not to needle me about this.

  It was super annoying—like third graders whispering secrets behind a friend’s back. I felt the godstone heat in my chest; the motors inside the Necklace of Asclepius whined, and the amulet vibrated on my chest like a cell phone on silent getting a call. I wanted to explode, to defend my choice, to grab Myrina by her armor and shake her.

  A sobering thought hit me—how often had Ares done that to her?

  Uh, you’re vibrating, War God, Phoebe sent. Need to slow your roll. She didn’t mean it. Just take a few deep breaths and let it go.

  Finally, the whining and the buzzing died down as my anger faded away. The necklace was working. I didn’t fly off the handle, and I could talk like a rational human being without falling into a Ye Old Shakespearian dialogue. “Myrina, we’ll see how the Smiting works. I think once you see it in action, you might change your mind.”

  The Battle Warden frowned at me. She slipped up closer to me and traced a line of sweat trailing down from my brow with one finger. “You are a bit red in the face, Jacob. Are you feeling well?”

  I winked at her. “You bet I am. I mean we’re going down an M.C. Escher staircase through space. Nothing wrong with that. Not sure where the oxygen is coming from, but, hey, Greek gods made this shit, I’m thinking. Right, Persephone?”

  She’d seen my interchange with Myrina. A smile played across her lips. “The truth is not known, War God. Legend has it that Acmon, also known as Aether, found this staircase and walked up out of the darkness—though this was a very different universe than what we know today. There was only darkness then, but floating in that darkness was an egg. A massive thing of gold and silver and light. Some say Acmon had two brothers, Erebus and Chaos, and the three of them together smashed the egg, giving birth to the worlds. Other stories say that Acmon built the Stair out of his own flesh to escape bloodthirsty demons, nameless, forgotten. This would have been before he had relations with Gaia, which ultimately resulted in the birth of Uranus.”

  I waited for Phoebe to make a joke. Because, come on, Uranus. When none came, I messaged the Rune-Caster sitting in her mech. Really? Nothing?

  Kinda too easy, boss man. I wasn’t going to do the butt joke. Too obvious. Phoebe laughed, then stopped to concentrate. Here’s a new one. From what I’ve studied, and from what you remember from your interwebs, Uranus might come from a word meaning urinate. It definitely had something do with rain. Total sky god stuff. Bwahaha. Rain is God peeing.

  “Stay classy, Lycastia,” I said to her. Then to Persephone, “So it could be that the Stair was always here. And there are older things than the primordial gods. Interesting.” Naturally, I had a very Lovecraftian moment. Old gods. Eldritch beings. Things that go bump in the multiverse.

  Myrina rounded on me. “Stories will not help us get our vehicles and animals down through this strange place. Phoebe, come with me, and we’ll gather our forces.”

  I was left alone with the spring goddess, who was very blond, very blue-eyed, and rather thicc at the moment—an
d yes, that’s thicc with two C’s. Maybe her diet and exercise program were working. She had cleavage for miles and an ass you could park a Buick on.

  And what was that look in her eye? Did I detect a measure of lust?

  The godstone wanted me to take her and squeeze her hips to check weight, density, and smoothness. Of course it did. That gem didn’t care about the ticking time bomb our lives had become. Abruptly, my necklace whined again, gears whirring. This time, though, I ignored the warning, because this was one urge I didn’t particularly care to fight.

  Where Are We Exactly?

  PERSEPHONE CAME OVER and took my hand in hers. The two of us stood on the landing outside the cave entrance, staring into the expanse of space while my generals went to gather our army so we could start our descent.

  It was a very surreal moment. I was alone with an ancient Greek goddess, the wife of Hades, on the landing of an infinite staircase. The impossible steps rose and descended, carving their way through a universe of spinning galaxies, shooting comets, and something fiery that seemed to be approaching us. It didn’t seem to be as large as a sun, but then distances weren’t exactly helping me with my perspective. I took a deep breath, air filling my lungs even though I knew for a fact there couldn’t be any air here. None of this made any sense—not really—but then that didn’t matter.

  It was beautiful here, and I was with a gorgeous woman. For the moment, that was all that really mattered.

  “So, Jacob, I see the way you have looked at me,” Persephone said, breaking the peaceful silence. “And I feel the pull to be with you. Do you feel it too?”