Chapter 37
Vasos chose to have them use the ship’s new ability to travel to Argos in minutes, once there they happened to catch the tail end of the wedding ceremony of Temenos and Selene. For the first time since he had met her Selene actually looked happy and Temenos was beaming as well and Vasos knew without a doubt that those two would have a love that could last through the ages. After the ceremony finished they announced themselves and joined in the reception fun, even Talis was welcome and treated like royalty. As the night went on the more time Vasos spent getting to know Talis the more he made it a personal mission to free him, the quest was no longer about just doing something the gods asked now it was about freeing a good man. For hours during the rest of the day and into the night Vasos learned and relearned everything he could. He spent so much time going over everything in his mind that Vasos was sure that he knew the island better than most people that lived there.
Now that the morning had come the plan was simple they would take the tunnel back to Rhodes, once there Sevrrir and Sander would stay and protect the ship while Talis and Vasos headed to Chrysaor’s strong hold. Once there he would challenge him to one on one combat, defeat him, grab the mask and be on their way.
All of it sounded simple but Vasos knew it would be anything but, as they headed out to the shore in the long boat Vasos couldn’t help but wonder why he hadn’t heard anything back from Kol yet, he hoped that he and his team were okay. It was one thing to fight a monster like Chrysaor, they are demigods they fought monsters all the time. Finding a lost god on the other hand, that was different. If he was lost maybe there was a reason, it could be any number of things. Maybe he left and didn’t want to be found, if that was the case then it was rather doubtful that he’d go back to Asgard without a fight. If he was taken by something or someone then that is a being that is powerful enough to kidnap and hold captive a god that being the case they were going up against something that would most likely be their death. No matter what the situation it wasn’t a good one and he couldn’t help but worry about it.
“I hope you’re ready Vasos because here comes the welcoming committee and remember I am unable to help you.” Frowns Talis.
Pushing aside his worries Vasos focuses on the shore where he can see twenty different creatures running towards their boat. “Nice, I’ll get a workout before the main event.”
“That’s all the rest of his men except for his two personal body guards I told you about.” Talis growls.
“Not a problem. I can handle it.”
“Which part? Them, the guards, or the monster himself?”
“All of the above.” Grins Vasos jumping out of the boat and walking towards the group running at him.
When the creatures are about twenty feet away Vasos jumps into the air sailing towards them, happily the group of monsters yell, roar and grunt as he descends toward the middle of the crowd. With a mighty boom Vasos slams both his fists into the ground when he lands forcing a tidal wave of land to knock all of the creatures over. Before they can recover Vasos is destroying them one by one, he stabs, slashes and throws his blade freely changing the weapon back and forth between a sword and axe as he kills them. Until a few minutes later nothing remains except the swirling ash of the monsters returning to the underworld.
“Once again you impress me Vasos.” Talis admires walking up.
“That was simple, hopefully the rest of the battles are as simple.”
“I would not count on it my friend, remember that Chrysaor has power of the water as well as an unmatched skill with the trident.”
“A boast that I will put to the test trust me.” He smiles. “Now what do you say I get moving and set you free?”
“This bites I finally have a chance to beat you in the little bet we have and what happens Vasos has all the fun.” Sevrrir slams his hand on the railing in anger.
“There’s got to be someone else around here.” Sander shouts like he’s hoping to draw some monsters to them.
“Yell all you want Sander we’re out of luck, there’s not a monster in sight.”
Interrupting them mid conversation is a barrage of arrows the size of spears narrowly missing them as they sail over their heads.
Turning to the direction the arrows came from Sander and Sevrrir’s eyes brighten when they see another ship twice as large as theirs sailing towards them with eleven full grown twenty foot tall Cyclopes’ coming towards them.
“Trespassers in the seas of Rhodes, prepare to be boarded! Stand in the middle of the deck and throw down your weapons or we will destroy you and your ship! Make your choice!” One of them yells.
“This is great!”
“And you didn’t want me to yell.” Sander remarks rolling his eyes.
“Yes, yes you’re very smart for a pea brain.” Retorts Sevrrir.
“Ouch, you hit me where it hurts, my smarts.” He replies sarcastically.
“Same plan as before? We wait for them to come aboard and then utterly destroy them?”
“I don’t think that our ship could hold that much weight, as it is I’m surprised that it can carry your ego.” Laughs Sander.
“Now, that’s no way to talk to your king of the world.”
“You’re not king of the world yet my slow witted little friend, let’s just make sure when they get close enough we board them before they board us.” Sander sighs taking a long drink.
“When they get close enough use your vines and pull us on board the ship before they know what’s going on.”
“Not a problem. Let’s do this!”
Standing on the top of a hill overlooking a make shift arena in front of the entrance to Chrysaor’s lair Vasos takes stock of the place. The strong hold is little more than a bunch of caves carved out of the side of a mountain as Vasos looks it over he can’t help but stifle a little laugh.
“This is it? This is the great fortress I’ve heard so much about?”
“It’s not the fortress itself that is the problem, it’s the creature inside that calls himself a man.” Answers Talis gravely.
“I will handle that, stay here my friend out of sight lest the monster demand that you come to his aid, at present he’s probably assumed you have fallen.”
“I don’t like the idea of you facing them alone.”
“Have faith my friend I will survive this battle.” Smiles Vasos before jumping to the floor far below making a loud thud to announce his presence.
A raspy voice laughs echoing through the entire place sending shivers up and down Vasos’ spine. “So the rumors my men have circulated as of late are true. Had I known that I may have let the man live who reported it to me.”
“Scared to meet me down here face to face Chrysaor?” Yells Vasos echoing off the walls himself.
Hideous laughter fills the air for a moment. “You want to meet me face to face? Do you not know who my mother is?”
“Everyone knows who your mother is, the traitor to Athena that took pleasure in the torture and turning of men to stone until Perseus ended her miserable life giving birth to you and your brother Pegasus. Speaking of which has she escaped from Tartarus?”
A low deep growl emanates from the caves for a moment. “Don’t you dare say a word against my mother; she has escaped from the underworld and is on her way here as we speak. After you are defeated I will torture you but keep you alive until she arrives to finish you off.”
“I haven’t said anything that isn’t factual and if you plan on defeating me, here I stand.” Vasos says spreading his arms in a challenge.
“You reach me you will have to first survive my aunts.” Chrysaor says stepping out of a cave high above the ground looking down at Vasos.
Covering his face is a golden Spartan type mask the only difference is the empty spaces have been filled in leaving only the eye sockets open. His massive chest plate is gold as well and designed with medusa on one side and Poseidon on the other matching the gauntlets he is wearing on each hand. His pure black pants are perfect without a sing
le sign of damage or even dust on them. The boots he’s wearing are long and black leading all the way up to the middle of his shins and in his right hand is a golden trident.
“Behold the instruments of your destruction.”
The scraping sounds of scales against the ground draws Vasos’ attention to the caves directly in front of them. Slowly the two gorgon sisters Stheno and Euryale slither out of the caves with murderous looks on their twisted faces. Stheno the middle sister of the three is a ten foot blood red raddle snake and from the waist to the neck she is perfect bodied, she has a small amount of red cloth covering her breasts and her arms are bare. From the head up is a different story, her eyes are blood red matching the dozens of snakes on her head slithering back and forth and snapping at the air while dripping venom, her wickedly green colored teeth are pointed and her lip stick is black as night. Euryale is much the same as Stheno except the colors of her eyes, snake trunk and snakes in her hair are yellow and she is twice as heavy set as her sister.
“Let me guess, you lovely ladies are the sisters of Medusa and unless I miss my mark, you my dear are Stheno.” He says pointing at the red gorgon. “And that would make you Euryale, I hear you have a wonderful voice.”
“My voice has been known to cause death mortal, say your prayers!” She yells getting ready to bellow.
As soon as she opens her mouth to scream Vasos’ sword finds a new home in her mouth nearly cleaving her head in two pieces.
“I’m sorry that story was done right?” Questions Vasos.
Answering his comment is Stheno’s tail moving so fast he doesn’t have time to dodge it before it trips him sending him to the floor flat on his back. In a flash Stheno is on him trying to claw his face off, the only thing that saved him was his years of training and demigod reflexes. With his enhanced strength he held her at bay but isn’t able to throw her off.
“You only delay the inevitable; I will feast on your flesh.” She hisses inches from his face.
“Finish him off Stheno!” Yells Chrysaor.
“You were a fool to throw away your weapon.” She laughs.
Without answering Vasos forces his hand up to her face pushing her head backwards.
“Do you really think you pushing would do anything to stop me?”
“I never considered stopping you with the head push, I was merely calling my weapon back to my hands.”
“What madness do you speak?”
Just then Vasos’ sword handle went right through Stheno’s head leaving her body twitching as he rolls her body off of him.
“It looks like I made it past your aunts, care to play with me now?” Questions Vasos looking up at Chrysaor.
Sevrrir claws his way through the vines that are trying wrap around his body as his anger steadily grows, changing back into human form he flips high into the air coming down with his axe and narrowly missing Sander.
“I knew it’d come down to this Sevrrir.” Sander sneers pointing his sword at Sevrrir.
“So did I, it was only a matter of time. I have to admit I didn’t believe you could give me this much of a challenge.”
“I’m full of surprises.” He says attacking Sevrrir and driving him back.
“I’d say you are full of something.” Sevrrir growls attacking back so furiously that Sander is taken off guard forcing him to trip and fall backwards.
Following through Sevrrir brings his axe over his head. “And now it ends.” He yells bringing his axe down for the kill.
“Nooooo!” Yells Sander as the axe falls .
The chop is perfect severing the head completely.
“It’s done.” Says Sevrrir.
“You got lucky, that kill would have been mine if you wouldn’t have blindsided me with a paw when I was about to finish him off.” Sander says getting back up.
“Whatever the case, you lost and now you have to call me oh great king of the world starting tomorrow.” He laughs heading back to their ship.
“This sucks!”
“Not for me and I’m sure Vasos will love it when he gets back.”
“If he gets back, he’s been gone a really long time.”
Vasos had been warned about Chrysaor’s water powers but he still wasn’t prepared himself for what happened. As Chrysaor dropped to the floor to meet him in combat he summoned water forcing it directly from the ground underneath Vasos throwing him so high in the air for a moment he can spot their ship in the distance. As he plunges back to Earth another spout of water filled with rocks flies up towards him ready to pound the life out of him. Twisting in the air Vasos forces his body to line up like a diver, then pulling out his axe he spins like a top cutting his way right through the stream of water until he reaches the ground.
As the water and rocks fall all around them Chrysaor and Vasos just stare at one another defiantly.
Suddenly Chrysaor brings the tip of his trident up placing it under his chin ready to impale himself as tears visibly drip from the bottom of his mask. Talis watches silently waiting for what will happen next when finally two small torrents of water shoot out of the ground with one hitting Chrysaor in the face and the other knocking the trident away from his chin.
Smiling Vasos continues staring at Chrysaor now that he’s back in control of his emotions. “Two can play the powers game Chrysaor.”
“How dare you even think to challenge me much less think you can win, I am the son of Poseidon and Medusa the most powerful demigod ever!”
Smiling Vasos thinks. “So being arrogant is your weakness and I bet that you are over compensating for being outshined by your brother so let’s nurture those feelings shall we?”
Focusing his powers to inspire feelings of jealousy in Chrysaor he begins. “So what, everyone only knows you as a thug, a nothing. Everyone loves your brother though.”
“He’s nothing compared to me, I’m the one that matters, ME!!!!” He yells turning in a circle with his arms stretched out.
As he turns Vasos changes his axe to a sword and drops it in the muddy water behind him letting it disappear from sight. When Chrysaor faces him again Vasos blatantly runs at him counting on his opponent’s arrogance. Just as he hoped Chrysaor steps to the side hitting Vasos on the back with the butt of his trident sending Vasos to the floor face first.
“This is who you send against me, this waste of a life?” Chrysaor yells to the sky.
Suddenly Vasos’ weapon flies with deadly purpose towards his back but in a second he whirls around blocking it with a laugh. “Did you really think I’d fall for the same trick my aunt did?”
Turning back around Chrysaor’s eyes go wide when he sees a rock the size of his entire body flying at him, it hits him with such force that his armor on his chest crushes in and his mask flies off. Unable to get out from behind the force and speed propelling him Chrysaor gets crushed into the rock wall behind him leaving only his head exposed. Surprisingly Vasos notes that his face was obviously handsome before the fight with dark black hair and sea blue eyes.
“No, I knew you would fall for the same trick. In fact I counted on it.” Vasos grins getting on top of the rock. “And now monster you can die the same way your mother did.”
“You can kill me Vasos but know that I have heard the whispers from the gods, you and Kol will never make it to your last quests.”
“We’ll see about that.” Vasos says cutting off his head.
Walking back to the mask and picking it up off the floor Vasos looks to the heavens. “I am Vasos son of Aphrodite and descendant of Hercules and with this mask I have completed my quest.” He says holding it up in the air.
A beautiful light surrounds the mask drawing it into the sky disappearing. “I am Zeus father of Olympus, you have done well Vasos. Continue on with the blessings of the gods.”
The sky goes dark as Vasos looks to Talis who stares in awe. “Celebrate Talis for today you are free!”
Immortals Children Of The Gods Page 37