by James Hunter
Was that the doorway into the Temple of Hades?
“We need to get to the landing at the top of these steps.” Persephone waved one hand vaguely through the air.
I let Persephone drive the Helios Chariot while I helped Gorilla Asteria, Myrina, and our beefier Beastiamancers lift the Harvesters and ballistae up the steps. We passed around Hestia’s Cup and Bowl as we worked, keeping everyone fed and watered for the fight to come. It was absolutely silent except for the crunch of our wheels, the creaking of our armor, and our labored breathing. Slowly, methodically, we worked, pushing our vehicles and heavy armament up the stairs, higher and higher.
Off in the distance, a comet lazily floated toward us, surrounded by a stream of ice, rock, or unearthly space debris.
Unfortunately, the hunk of space debris was damned near the size of New York City, and, as I watched, it curved around, drawn toward us by some kind of gravitational field. How did physics on the Stair work, exactly? Short answer? It probably followed Bugs Bunny cartoon laws, which meant we were screwed. Anything for a laugh, right? Kinda made me think there might the god of space out there—maybe Uranus—who didn’t much like me. First, they threw a red sun at us and now a chunk of interstellar space ice. Perfect.
Phoebe let out a sigh. That thing is totally coming at us, and unless I’m way more drunk than I think, it’s speeding up ... Because, well, of course it’s speeding up.
She wasn’t wrong. That comet didn’t seem to be moving quite so lazily anymore, and it was now on a crash course with the Stair.
“Double-time!” I called out, my mind racing.
What ace did I have left up my sleeve? What kind of ability or miracle could I use to either get up the stairway quicker or to block the comet? I’d already used the Sower’s Glass to save Persephone and Myrina from the clockwork piranhas, but I had one more round of Time Orb. Using the Crystal Scythe, I could slow the comet by 90%. I mean that wasn’t exactly ideal—I’d been hoping to save all those tricks for my rumble against Earl—but there was no point in holding out now. Not if it meant the difference between living to fight another day and dying horrifically.
“Myrina,” I shouted over my shoulder. “You’re in charge. Keep everyone moving!” Orders issued, I grabbed the scythe. Triggering my fancy new winged sandals, I stepped off the path and raced around the staircase. I didn’t fly too high because I wasn’t sure how the atmosphere here worked or if I’d be able to breathe too far out from the Stair. Plus, it was always possible some funky gravity well would pull me away and hurl me like a divine fastball into the expanse of the cosmos. Hard pass on that if I could avoid it.
I stopped in front of the oncoming comet. Arms outstretched, I waited to trigger the Time Orb ability on the Crystal Scythe. I was hoping the effect would slow something as big as the comet coming at us. It was definitely line of sight. Hard to miss. I’d thought it was the size of New York City. Now I was thinking it might be bigger. New York state, maybe? Either way, if it plowed into us, there was approximately zero chance of survival.
While my Amazons struggled to get our vehicles and mounts up the rest of the steps—furiously spurred on by Myrina—I checked the Crystal Scythe’s ability.
<<<>>>
<<<>>>
BATTLE WARDENS STREAMED up the Stair at a hard run, followed by the Beastiamancers, who, in turn, were followed by the Death Harvesters. Persephone came last in the Helios Chariot, pulled by two fire stallions, smoke and embers streaming from their manes and tails.
Okay, time to put the brakes on this comet, so we could get everyone up and off the Stair.
I kept my eyes fixed on the burning ball of rock and gas, focusing my will like a laser beam as I triggered Time Orb. The scythe flashed a brilliant blue in my hand. Cold power flooded through me and a wave of energy rippled out, distorting the space in front of me as it slammed into the oncoming comet like the blast from an atom bomb. A wall of primal cobalt power enveloped the ball of rock and ice, and as it did the burning ball of certain death shuddered, groaned, and came to a near standstill. The comet would be slowed to 90% of its speed for thirty seconds. After that, it would crash into the staircase ...
And anything unfortunate enough to still be standing on the Stair.
By that time, though, our forces would be safe. Maybe. Hopefully. The Harvesters, with their trailers, clattered up the steps, steam engines whooshing. Persephone came last ... Wait, no. Down below a flash of movement caught my eye. Dammit. Doris and Ianthe had stayed behind, making sure no one was forgotten. They were on the Stair below me and if they didn’t get their asses in gear ASAP, they’d be caught in the path of the slow-motion comet.
Very heroic of them, really. Just highly inconvenient.
I clipped the Crystal Scythe into the housing on my back, whirled midair, and took off like an arrow on the wing-powered footwear. I skated past the trailers, blazed past the Helios Chariot, and came blasting down to the two Battle Wardens. I caught Doris in my right arm, Ianthe in my left, and we streaked away as the comet careened toward us. The cold of all that interstellar ice struck me like a sledgehammer, sucking away the wind from my lungs for a second, but though I was taking cold damage, I had the War Mammoth Cloak insulating me from the bulk of the damage.
Doris and Ianthe, though, gasped, curling up against me.
Everything went silent for a minute, a tense quiet, and then the front edge of the comet crashed into the spiraling staircase below. The world exploded with light and noise. Yeah, the red star might’ve moved through the Stair without damaging the steps, but this son of a bitch was taking out miles upon miles of the stonework. I had no ideas what rules or laws governed the Stair, but they seemed fickle as hell and ready to kill us all at the drop of a hat.
Doris and Ianthe clung to me as we watched the devastation below us. Then, without missing a beat, we flew to rejoin the convoy. The rest of my crew were breathing hard, but they were alive—in no small part thanks to Myrina’s leadership and Doris and Ianthe’s heroics. I’d pitched in as well, I suppose, but that was to be expected when you were a living deity. Directly in front of us, across a stone archway, lay another exit off the Stair, this one a rectangle of light as brilliant and powerful as the sun at noonday.
I pointed at the rectangle. “Hey, P, is that the portal to the Underworld?”
Persephone sat up and blew a strand of limp hair out of her face. “Yes, War God. This exit will take us into the temple’s inner sanctum. We should then be able to come storming out into the city itself. That is where we will meet Earl on the field of battle.” Damn, but she looked like death warmed over.
“You gonna be okay?” I asked with genuine concern.
She gave me a tired, half-hearted smile and nodded. “Once we are in, I’ll help as I am able, then I’ll slip back through the rift into the Underworld. There is no other way. Still, I will do what I can—”
The click and squeal of stone on stone filtered up to us, cutting off her words. I edged over to the side of the platform and stole a quick look down. The comet had blown through the stone steps and was disappearing into the darkness of space. The spiral staircase, however, was already rebuilding itself, huge slabs of stone sliding against each other or tumbling end over end, restoring the staircase to pristine glory. I had a very Minecraft moment. Okay, so the Stair could repair itself. That was good to know.
I bent and picked up Athena’s Spear and the Inferno Shield. The War Blade shivered in its sheath at my side like its two best friends had come over to play. The Crystal Scythe was clipped to my back. I rose up, floating above the Helios Chariot where everyone could see me.
In moments, the mutters died and all eyes were on me. Despite the hardships and difficulties of getting here, hope burned bright in the faces of my troops. “This is it,” I called out, my voice carrying like the crack of thunder.
Myrina nodded at me. She knew this was the time for a grand speech.
“I’m proud of you,” I continued, a fierce smile on my
face. “We’ve trained hard. Fought hard. And made more sacrifices than anyone could ever have asked of us. The road hasn’t been easy, but the victory will be all the better for it. I’m not going to tell you that things will be easier from here. We’re going to fight, and some of you may die, but we’re fighting and dying for something worthwhile. Something larger than us. Liberty for all mankind and for all worlds. And as my colonel used to say, sometimes the tree of liberty must be watered with the blood of patriots and tyrants. Let’s just make sure we use up as much tyrant blood as we can.”
A round of cheers went up, swords and spears slapping against bucklers in agreement.
“Now, as for the actual game plan. Once we get inside, it’s gonna be business as usual. I want us playing smart. Myrina will lead the ground element, Asteria will command the Beastimancers. Phoebe, you’re on the support side. Use our Elementalists, and make sure our heavy weapons are laying down suppressive fire. As for me, I’ll play quarterback. Hang back, heal those who need it, lay down miracles by the truckload, and patch any holes in the lines. Everyone tracking?”
“No!” Doris shouted, catching me completely off guard. I wasn’t used to hearing “no” from my ’Zons—well, at least not from ’Zons who weren’t named Myrina. She couldn’t tell me no often enough. “You are the war god,” Doris continued. “You have the weapons of the Olympians! This battle should be your glory. You should lead from the front, War God! It is only right.”
Myrina’s eyes widened, a scowl growing on her face. “Doris, this is unbecoming of an Amazon. Who are you to question the god of war?”
That’s Myrina’s job, Asteria sent me, a wicked half-smile on her lips.
Ianthe stepped forward to stand with her sister. “I agree with Doris, revered Battle General. It is not intended as disrespect. It is just that we have seen him fight, General, we have seen his battle prowess. And that was before the War God found these divine armaments. Surely, the best strategy now is for the War God to use them to annihilate our enemy ...”
Asteria was a blue house cat again, standing under Phoebe’s mech. The kitty licked her paw and then swiped it over her head, purring loudly. It was clear that Asteria couldn’t care less about the current drama.
As for Phoebe, she smirked. Oh, this is good. Whatcha gonna do now, tough guy?
Myrina turned. “These Battle Wardens are young and impulsive. I apologize, War God. I will reprimand them.”
Doris and Ianthe stood tall, chins high, their eyes fixed on me.
All my Amazons waited to see what I would say. And I could see they agreed with the unruly Doris and Ianthe.
The godstone flashed, and the necklace rattled and whined, fighting to get the upper hand inside my head. Of course, it liked the idea of me going in alone, or in the vanguard at the very least. However, Myrina chided me. You cannot let your Amazons question your ultimate authority. You should put these two in their place.
Myrina wasn’t wrong, not exactly. But then, neither were Doris and Ianthe. I mean, when I really thought about the power I possessed now ... It was substantial. I wanted to be responsible and to be true to what I’d told Myrina, but I had a veritable nuclear arsenal at my disposal, and we hadn’t even really talked about it.
Myrina seemed to sense my hesitation. The Battle Warden paused, searching my face like the rest of my team, chewing at her bottom lip, which was something I’d never seen her do before. She looked worried. Or maybe thoughtful.
A moment, War God, she sent before I’d fully made up my mind. Perhaps I was being overzealous, she conceded. Perhaps pride has gotten the better of me. I was so consumed with you not making the same mistakes that Ares made last time, that it is ... she faltered. It is possible I almost made his mistakes. Not letting you fight because I needed to prove myself worthy. Powerful. But these young Battle Sisters, they are right. We need to fight—need to do our part—yet to hobble you is a fool’s gambit. And besides, I trust you to lead from the front and not fall into the foolishness of Ares. There is wisdom in this. She offered me a thin smile, her eyes flashing with pride.
I thought my jaw might well and truly hit the floor. First, she’d finally given in to me, and now she was admitting both that she was wrong and that she trusted my judgement. Clearly, we’d left behind the real world and this section of the Stair was bizzaro world. Not that I was complaining. Just flabbergasted.
I nodded my agreement, let the Aegletes Crown flash, and gave the godstone a little bit of leeway. I wasn’t the old Ares, but I needed just a little bit of his power, his bloodlust—hell, his razzle-dazzle—if I was going to do this thing. The godstone flared brightly in my chest, sending out a gentle ripple of warmth and approval, and suddenly I found words rolling off my tongue.
“Very well. I have heard you. You all know I don’t want personal glory. You know that I am not Ares. I am my own god of war. However, you make good points. I do possess weapons of ultimate power. I will fight from the front, draw their fire, and decimate their forces. Then? You will come and do what you do best—slay. We will leave no head uncleaved, no heart unpierced, and no stone stacked. We will destroy the monster generators. We will raze the Temple of Hades and sow salt into the ground. Victory will be ours. I will light the candle, but you, my Amazons, will be the inferno!”
All the Amazons raised their weapons and let out a thunderous battle cry.
The chanting started: In-Fer-No! God of War! In-Fer-No! God of War!
Total War
LOXO AND SOPHIA RETURNED with a report after scouting ahead. Apparently, the shimmering portal connected to a secret door that let out behind the main alter inside the Temple of Hades proper. According to my scouts, the place was horrible—a veritable testament to pain, suffering, and damnation—but also surprisingly empty. That douche hole, Earl Necro Earl, was out front in the main courtyard, rallying his freshly created troops, preparing to set off through the main gate. They’d be on their way to Lycastia City in less than a handful of minutes, which meant if this crazy sneak-attack ambush was going to work, we had to move now.
I eased the Helios Chariot up the crumbling steps, Phoebe trailing behind me in her mech; Asteria, in the form of a blue house cat. lay asleep in her lap. Well, it had been a long night. Myrina kept pace next to the mech with Loxo at her side. Sophia vanished here and there around us. The rest of our army crept along fifty or so paces back. After a couple of minutes, we came to a black stone wall, pitted and pockmarked from age. As we edged closer, it slid open, and a few silent steps later, we were inside.
Loxo and Sophia hadn’t been exaggerating about how freakishly gross the inside of the temple was.
The temple was all dark stone, carved with intricate scenes of torture and death. In one panel a man was drawn and quartered—his arms and legs violently ripped off by hideous war mounts. In another, a woman had her stomach carved open, spools of intestines drooping from the wound. And that was just the tip of the gross iceberg. Decapitations. Flayings. Dismemberment. All depicted in heinous detail. Dark steel chains hung from the vaulted ceiling overhead, their ends capped by beefy meat hooks. Ancient yellowing bones lay scattered about in piles.
Odd shadows flitted in the corner of my eye, while barely-there voices whispered and crooned from pools of inky darkness. Man, this place was the worst. Like the offspring of a Hot Topic store and a Hellraiser flick.
Aside from the very questionable taste in décor, the rest of the building was fairly similar to my temple in Lycastia City: rows of fluted columns and a central dais. But here, instead of a statue to the god of war, there hung a portal, which I had no doubt led to the Underworld. The rift was a sick rectangle of green and black light, which flickered on and off, like a bad neon light hanging over the entrance to a mortuary. The bronze of the frame surrounding the portal had oxidized into a diseased green color. Black slime dripped off it, pitter-pattering on the filthy floor.
Loxo pointed to the thin light of the entrance. “There, War God. Straight ahead.”
> Sure enough, the far end of the temple was completely open to the air, more stone columns marching along the front, supporting the roof. A set of black marble steps descended into a wide courtyard beyond.
My army shuffled into the temple and we crept to the front pillars. My Rune-Casters, with an assist from a handful of Battle Wardens, brought both the Death Harvesters and the ballistae forward, getting them ready. The quiet shuffling ... the hushed whispers ... I kind of felt like Odysseus in the Trojan Horse.
My generals and I crept through the pillars until we could see the ramparts surrounding the temple. In the gray light of dawn, we were greeted by an army of monsters and the undead in formation, a thousand at least, all on their way out the front gates.
While the city around the Temple of Hades might have mirrored Lycastia at one time, every stone building had been demolished to create a vast open space between the temple and the domineering walls edging the crumbling city. I was glad we’d found a way to sneak in because those fortifications looked impenetrable.
In each corner of the enormous courtyard were towering piles of stone—the cracked leftovers of the once magnificent city now brought low into ruin. The rock piles had been turned into makeshift fountains with big basins of marble at the bottom. What looked like half-congealed blood dripped down into a morass of bubbling muck. Runes had been carved into the fountain tops, which pulsated a dark green color. From out of the top of the fountain, dozens of eggs—each gooey, black, and about the size of a basketball—tumbled down into the ichor-filled tubs below.
As the eggs settled, they cracked and burst, spilling a host of awful into the ooze.
Some of the eggs became small squalling harpies. Spidery forms with too many eyes and tusked snouts crawled out of others, while more still became infants with slithering snake tails. Werewolf pups came rolling out of the eggs, as did little bundles of misshapen flesh that would eventually become either gimps or the meathead berserkers who carried them. The collection of fiends breaking through the eggs immediately started to grow. And as they grew, they ate each other.