Shadows of Olympus: Chapter Three IC

[Squrmy]

Orion had very good senses; a result of his time as an owl. Already on edge from Artemis’ words, he had been preparing himself for conflict when he heard the sound of an approaching enemy. His head turned toward the back door just as it burst open, the snarling, drool and blood-covered monster howling at the top of its lungs and heading toward he and Artemis at an uncanny speed. Orion barely had time to think shit, before he had to move.

He removed his arm from around Artemis’ waist with haste, stepping in front of the Goddess and her hound, his left hand forming into a loose fist, coming up into position by his cheek, guarding his face. He heard the sounds of the yelling drug addicts, the scum fleeing the bar as quickly as they could – the sound of boots thudding with haste on the floorboards of the bar filling Orion’s ears, receding just as quickly as they had come.

It only took a few moments for the monster who may have once been human to reach him, and he seemed not to care that it was not the Goddess of the Hunt that stood in front of him but her lover – his eyes were filled with a sort of mad hunger, and there was a crazed, determined glint to his eyes. His hands outstretched, he leapt from the ground to an unnatural height, aiming to land on top of the Hunter.

Orion, a man who had always had great reflexes, managed to take a step back in time – moving his right hand up in a strong, forceful uppercut – hitting the beast under the chin with a resounding ‘crack’, the mutant being knocked off course by the blow and crashing into a table, splinters of wood flying in various different directions; the mutant laying still.

Orion, thinking that he’d dealt with his foe, relaxed some – turning back to face Artemis, a worried expression painted on his face. He barely had time to look her over before he was grabbed from behind, the monster with the broken jaw having moved up behind him quietly. Obviously, the beast was a strong fucker – the skin over Orion’s knuckles had been ripped open by the force of the punch he’d delivered. There wasn’t much Orion could do at that moment – he was dragged backward, flailing and thrashing, as the unnaturally strong mutant readied itself to dig into its next meal.

However, it never got the chance – Orion’s left foot shot back, hitting the beast in the groin. Even if the monster was highly resistant or immune to pain, there was still a reflex in a man’s body that, when hit in the genitals by a steel-capped boot, you let go of whatever you’re holding. The mutant groaned, doubling over as Orion took a few rapid steps away from it, looking around for a tool to finish it off – and he found it in the form of a sturdy metal chair, left in the middle of the bar, likely by one of the drug addicts who’d quickly fled the scene.

Orion ran over to the chair, picking it up and turning around, just as the mutant began another charge toward him; howling a bloodthirsty cry – a disgusting sight to behold, as its jaw was broken, and blood poured out of its maw.

If it had existed in Ancient times, Orion would have been a baseball player – his swing was impeccable, his timing excellent, the chair slamming toward the mutant’s head just as it came within range. It hit the man’s neck square on, a sickening snap being heard as his head shot back, the mutant crumpling to the ground, motionless. Orion stood above him for a few moments, holding the bloodspattered chair at the ready, but it seemed like he was truly dead.

Heaving a sigh of relief, he turned to engage his next opponent.

[Pockets]

Hephaestus

Darin jerked back, startled as he came bursting through the back door. The man moved unnaturally fast for a human and Darn immediately recognized him as the pile of insensate trash he'd left lying in the pile of trash outside. Obviously this was no longer the case.

Other patrons ran screaming as the crazed beast, for he could no longer be called a man, streaked across the room at Artemis. Orion quickly stepped in and Darn turned his attention to the other three oncoming attackers.

Two Hispanic males and a black man, in their twenties maybe but looking just as crazed as the filthy creature attacking Orion with all the single minded determination of a lemming heading for the cliffs edge.

He jumped away from his stool, the sound of it clattering to the ground lost amongst the roaring cries of his attackers. Darins canes were special, built by him, and meant only for his use. Made of a hollow titanium shell the interior was filled with deposits of heavier metals in order both to bear his weight and increase their usefulness as weapons.

He slid backwards, moving as quickly as he could to compensate for the mad speed of their rush. The first of them, one of the Hispanic kids ran to his right and his cane whipped up with startled ng speed considering its twenty pound weight. The end of the cane caught the kid a solid blow across the side of his head, sending him careening past.

The other two were too close though. At the last moment he brought up his left arm and the black man sank his teeth into the thick leather of the sleeve covering his left arm. Ignoring him Darin leaned back as the third ran up he struck.

He brown gut his forehead down with a crushing blow against the third mans face. Cartilage disintegrated with a loud crunching sound as the mans nose shattered under the strength of the blow. He didn't appear to notice however as he stumbled back and then rushed forwards again. Reaching out Darin swore under his breath and grasped the man by the throat.

"Hey Orion," he yelled. "Batter up." He lifted the man off his feet and threw him bodily across the bar towards where Orion stood over the first attacker, bloodied chair still held in hand.

He ignored the man after that and turned back to the one still trying to chew through his jacket. "Stop that," he snapped irritably and punched him in the face several times with his free hand. "I. Really. Like. That. Jacket." Each word was punctuated by a solid blow from his massive fist but again the man hung on tenaciously as if he felt none of the pain the blows should be causing. Finally Darin turned, lifting his arm and the man with it and brought his body down so hard across the bar that the thick wooden splintered and shattered.

The teeth finally released as numerous bones, including his spine were broken and Darin straightened up to take a calming breath.

That was when the first man he'd struck leaped onto his back, driving them both to the dirty floor. They rolled and kicked, teeth and jagged fingernails scratching and snapping, attempting to reach Darins flesh under the protective shell of his jacket.

"Mother fuck nugget, get OFF," he roared and surged upward, using his arms as leverage to throw the man to the side. Before he could attack again Darin was on him, lying half across the mans torso his arm wrapped around his head and Darin pulled and squeezed as hard as he could. For a moment the mans struggles became even more violent, frantic as fear set in.

Eventually Darn felt and heard the bones in his neck separate and the body went suddenly still.

[Vanquished]

Hebe
Hebe stayed behind Demeter in the ensuing chaos. Aphrodite was not pleased, that much was obvious, although her wrath seemed directed elsewhere. Demeter goaded the goddess of love, something that Hebe's eyes shot open at, and was pleased to hear Demeter give her a command. She eagerly obeyed, not wanting to be there when the seemingly inevitable conflict escalated.

She walked back, several nurses with her, but had to press herself against the wall as an equally angry Dionysus stormed past them. He seemed to be focused solely on Demeter and the mortal who escorted them to his penthouse. She felt a twinge of sympathy for the man, but motioned for the rest to follow her.

The room was a disaster to put it mildly. Aphrodite was rebounding nicely from events in Hades it seemed, though Hebe wasn't surprised. Eons had taught her Aphrodite never let herself wallow. Her eyes scanned the room, the bed was torn apart, silken sheets wet and in complete disarray, clothes torn and scattered. The mortals behind her muttered about house cleaning not being in their job description. "It's fine," she waved her hand, "I'll clean this up, just tell me where you think it best to set up the bed."

One nurse motioned to the right of the bed, close to one of the large windows. At least she wouldn't have to move any of Dionysus' furniture. Hebe nodded her approval, not that they would care in the least whether she approved or not, and bent to start cleaning the mess left by the gods. It wasn't like this was anything new to her, and Hebe recalled the two's previous twists with slight amusement. Aphrodite would give Dionysus a run, she just hoped the affair wouldn't get in the way of whatever was happening to them. Love was more than a drug for the goddess, it was her essence, but Hebe had seen her consumed by it before. She didn't want to see that happen again, not with so much at stake.

Hebe picked up what looked to be remnants of red pants and sighed. She couldn't begrudge the goddess for being what she was meant to be, and knowing the pain of rejection could have created a much different sort of problem, she held back as many unkind thoughts as she could. Still, Aphrodite hadn't said a word to her. It seemed only Demeter had need of her, and losing Aphrodite when she was the only one left...the only one here...Hebe felt her own sting of rejection returning, but gratitude as well to the crone.

Demeter would likely want to stay in the master with Hecate, so she quickly set to stripping the bed down and went off in search of clean sheets.

Aphrodite & Demeter

Aphrodite's eyes had narrowed to slits as Demeter charged in and set about to ordering everyone as if this was her home. Her comment about "dugs" certainly didn't improve Aphrodite's souring mood. She stopped a few steps away as Hebe and a group of mortals moved around her to attend to the master bedroom where Dionysus lay. She pursed her lips, wondering how Dionysus would like having an audience.
Instead he came out, anger poring off of him as he strode to the kitchen where Demeter sat so primly. She grinned briefly, hearing him fire back rapidly. Oh darling, that's not going to work at all. Demeter was a hard headed old biddy and was not going to bend just because of the vine god's hot headed tantrum. Still, she had to see where this was going and she changed course, abandoning what would have been a fruitless search for clothes anyways.

Demeter set her pen down on the pad where she composed a list in the kitchen. With a glass of wine in one hand and her cane in another she pointedly approached her rather petulant nephew. She took a another sip of the Noir while she soundly rapped Dionysus on the head with the knob of her cane.

“Are you stupid, boy? Where are your manners?!” Demeter spoke calmly, but her eyes spoke much darker, more dangerous tones. “We cannot afford to be so spread apart. In times like this, we need to remain close together, and this penthouse is as good as anywhere else. If you do not like it, then tough. We are staying right here.”

"Ahem." Aphrodite entered and looked at the two of them. A bemused look crossed her face as she caught Demeter knocking Dionysus about the head. "I wouldn't do that again if I were you." She was sorely tempted to unbutton the only thing keeping her breasts covered, but tempting Dionysus in his current state with Demeter present seemed poor timing. There was a much easier solution.

"Dionysus, my love." She moved to his side and placed a hand on his chest. "We're leaving anyways. Sooner seems better now that we know Hecate is safely surrounded by the others. Let them set up house while we take care of other things." Important things. Her eyes narrowed back at Demeter as she spoke to the god, "Why don't you call and make arrangements for that?" Let her question them and see that Aphrodite had been right when everyone wanted to ignore her and disregarded her suggestions.

[May]

Artemis


Of course her words went unheeded. She was not at all surprised that her brother seemed not hear a word she said. No one seemed to listen to her, espeically any of the men in their family. Just because she wasn't endowed with the glory they seemed to think between their legs didn't mean that she was unable to be of use, that her words didn't hold meaning that would be important to them. They pretended to treat her as equal, but they really didn't.

The door in through the back crashed open and there was a thudding of feet. She was stepping back, even as she saw the crazed man coming at her. Why her though? Why not the stronger Hephaestus? She was stunned for far too long as the man charged at her. But instead of getting a chance to deal with her attacker, Orion was slipping in between them. She could feel the flash of anger that went up her whole core at the way he thought he had to take care of that thing for her. She was more than capable of putting a blot right through his heart. And yet, she wasn't given the chance.

And she wasn't given the chance to deal with the rest of them either, the other three all being taken out by Hephaestus. "I can take care of myself, you know," she huffed as she stepped back from the others, watching as they were all so 'deftly' dealt with. Hephaestus had no style, he was just brute force, very little else. Even Ares looked better when fighting than he did. Ares looked better in general, really.

But her rage, her anger at her brother, at her lover, for stepping in and dealing with things she could have done herself had distracted her. She'd not noticed that there was one more, one that hadn't been so deftly dealt with by the boys. And she hissed out in pain as the last creature's dirty nails dug into her soft flesh, gripping and tearing through her thin blouse as it's teeth sunk into her shoulder, drawing blood from not only that but the cuts that lingered from talons that had gone through her shoulder. She cursed. Loudly.

The arm that wasn't being pinned by teeth in her shoulder came forward as her hand balled into a fist and she swung back, shoving her elbow into it's stomach. It didn't seem to feel the pain, but the body still moved with the force. She hit again and again until she could squirm out of it's hold, not caring about the dragging of teeth against her skin. That would heal. Eventually. Once she was free, her bow was drawn quickly, arrow put into place, string pulled back and she smiled wickedly as the twang of her bow as it shot the arrow forward and through the creature's skull, in through the eye and out through the back of the head.

But her defiant stance didn't last long as she hissed in pain again, her arms dropping and the goddess slumped down some. "See, I can take care of myself," she grumbled, sliding her bow over her good shoulder to look at the bleeding wound that was starting to soak through her off white top.

[Squrmy]

Orion watched with a slightly impressed expression as Heph dealt with the other goons, the Giant God of the Forge dispatching of the Supernaturals as easily as a scythe would cut through wheat - they fell before him like leaves in a gale.

"Batter up!" Came the yell from the God of the Forge, Orion turning toward the sound - just as one of the monsters was hurled at him from the other side of the bar. Orion grinned, adrenaline still coursing through his veins as he sent the chair swinging toward the mutant's head, a loud bang being heard as the metal struck home, crumpling slightly under the force of the impact. Blood splattered all over the stainless steel, and a few flecks of it also got on Orion's face - strangely, he didn't mind it. It reminded him of old times - of being in the forest with Artemis, of the hunt.

He heard sounds of struggle coming from behind him, and the blood-stained chair fell to the floor with a clang. He spun on his heel, looking back toward Artemis just as she fired an arrow into her opponent. He rushed over to her as she spoke, looking at her wound with a slightly worried expression - but, upon having her words register with his brain, he took a small step back - trying to contain his feelings of worry for her. "I'm sorry, love - I know you can look after yourself, but.. I don't know; I just.. get very protective, when these things happen."

He gave her a small smile, stepping back close to her, opening his arms slightly - so she could embrace him if she so wished.

[Pockets]

Hephaestus

Darin grumbled as he climbed to his feet, swearing up a storm over the torn chunks of his jackets sleeve. "I really like this jacket," he growled, anger burning within him. He noted Artemis dispatching the last of the mutants and Orion tending to her. "No one said you couldnt look after yourself," he grunted. "But taking out the trash is my responsibility."

He turned and leveled a baleful glare at the bartender, stil standing where he'd been all along. Darins hand flashed out and grasped the man by the front of his shirt. Dragging him forcefully over the bar he lifted him by the throat and slammed him against a nearby wall. As the man struggled Darin bounced him off the wall a few more times until the man hung there dazed, his feet hovering inches above the floor.

Now," Darin hissed. He grasped the pinky on the mans left hand and with a sharp twist snapped it. The bartender screamed, a gargled sounding noise through his constricted throat and Darin bounced his headnoff the wall again. "Youve got nine left," he growled. "Then toes, wrists, elbows, and shoulders. you have a lot of bones that i can break without any risk of killing you so unless you enjoy pain in you might want to start spilling your guts."

[tirgesfu]

Hermes

Well, Iris didn’t say no and that was as good as a yes in Hermes book. He would have to be quick. Anansi had started to move so Hermes was sure the old fool felt them. But crippled aged spiders take their time and fast was Hermes middle name after all. He stepped in front of Iris with the bright flashes in each hand. His right hand went in through the top, down the slop of her neckline, under her shirt and with wiggling fingers into the tight cup of her right bra. Geeze it was taut. His left hand drove in through the bottom, pulled her shirt from her pants scooting in up from underneath and squirming under the lower edge of her tight sports bra. Each hand felt for that oh so sought after protrusion that males spend their lives chasing in nursing fantasies. Taking just a second, half a second really, to savor the feel, and savor he did, he pressed each patch of sparkly to each now unintentional hard point.

Before he pulled his hands quickly out and without looking to Iris’s eyes he grinned and in a very cheery voice whispered, ”You are such a trooper! One for the team! I will sing your praises to all when we return.” He then yanked his hands out and straightened her shirt. He stepped back to view his work. Reaching quickly he pinched her through the shirt, through the sports bar. Responding a very bright flash of twinkle danced under her bra. Even on Iris' less than a handful dugs, they looked good.

Hermes turned to face the approaching spider man. “Ah and look who is here. Long lost man of the jungle wilds.” He took a step back beside Iris and nudged her with his arm, “Look sexy, dear.” He whispered.

[Lillian Thorne]

Trouble in the Bar

Frank watched in surprise as his bar erupted into a warzone. Now, bar fights were not uncommon there, they were pretty much nightly but there was an intensity to this that was new. What’s more the people involved made no sense. Jesse and his crew weren’t usual trouble makers. Generally they came, got their fix, chilled and left for places with prettier girls. Once Stu burst in, screaming like a deranged animal the four who were sitting in the back, minding their own business got involved, charging the strangers. That was fucked up enough but then instead of just fighting the three new people fucking killed the attackers, not just knocked them out but killed there. There was a god-dammed arrow in one of their eyes. He managed to break through his fear and hit the button under his bar seconds before the big crip grabbed him and began assaulting him. The panic button did not alert the police, no it went right to the boss-man who would even then be clearing out his stash and sending over some heavies once things were clear on his end.

As his finger snapped he prayed that the heavies got there soon.

“I don’t know nuthin!” he screamed with little hope that he would be believed. “You asked about weird things, well tonight was the first time shit has been weird in here. So if you are looking for weirdness look no further than yourselves!”

He screamed again past a haze of red as another finger was snapped. One long string of drool ran from the corner of his lips as she screamed and when he had his breath back he panted through his sobs.

“Dude, I’m not shitting you, I got nothing. Ask and I’ll answer but nothing fucking weird has happened. Jessie and his crew,” he thrust his chin towards the four, “They are usually quiet, come in for a fix, a drink and are on their way. Stu,” he gestured towards the madman’s corpse, “He’s fucked up, a lifetime junkie but he’s never done this shit before. Please, I am not fucking with you, ask and I’ll answer!”

[Pockets]

Hephaestus

Darin growled. When he growled it was one of those sounds that terrified anyone of low will, and the bartender he held pinned against the wall like a bug on a board was very much one of those individuals.

"What is your name," he asked, anger coursing through every inch of his large body. The blood pounding in his veins burned like the glowing metal he worked in his forge in the course of his labors.

"F-Frank." The man was pathetic. Whimpering like a kicked dog, tears brimming in his eyes. That level of ineptitude and weakness infuriated Darin. A God such as he, born with a crippling disability, yet he had worked through it, and adapted. Humans were supposed to be highly adaptable beings yet he had seen little proof of it. Only in a few, extraordinary mortals did the pride of the Gods still reside. The strength of Olympus.

"Well, Frank, I have a few questions for you. Question number one, Are you right or left handed?"

Frank looked confused but answered quickly, fear pouring off of him in waves so strong Darin was sure that Artemis could smell it. "Right."

"Oh good." Darin grinned and took a hold of the middle finger on Franks left hand, pinching it between thumb and index finger. "I'm so glad that I haven't crippled your good hand. Yet." He squeezed, enough to cause pain but not enough to break any bones.

"Now, how long have you known these dregs that would dare to attack us, and I would suggest you answer quickly, I have little patience and my legs are getting tired."

"9 months," he cried out. "I've known the boys nine months. Stu has been in here since before I started, a few years at least."

"And you said they haven't always been this violent?"

"No." Frank licked his lips nervously. "No they've never been like this."

"Hmmm.... You said they come in here for their 'fix'. What 'fix' do they usually look for?"

Frank hesitated, a bit too long for Darins tastes and he quickly broke Franks middle finger to match his ring and pinky digits. He saw it coming before it happened as Frank screamed and the welling nausea caused by severe pain made him vomit violently. Darin stepped back and dropped him just before it happened. Luckily none of the refuse splattered across the Forge Gods leather boots and pants, otherwise he would have been even more angry. As soon as Frank had emptied the contents of his stomach Darin grabbed him by the back of his shirt and threw him against the wall again.

"Quick answers here Frank. We're in a hurry."

"Heroine!" he yelled. "Stu, he's been a heroine junkie for years. The boys were interested in all kinds of stuff, Pot, Meth, Ex, recently they started using just heroine, like Stu."

"Have any of them been doing anything different these days?" The common link between the attackers as far as Darin could tell was drug use. If they could determine what they were using that they all had in common that might point them toward the source.

"Just the H. The boys have started using H in the last month or so."

"Is there anything new on the streets these days?"

"A new kind of Heroine."

Darin glared, his eyes gleaming like the fires of his forge. "Does this new drug have a name?"

"They call it Nectar."

Darin arched an eyebrow and glanced over his shoulder at Artemis and Orion.

"Nectar," he repeated. "As in 'of the Gods'?"

Frank shrugged as best he could.

"What does it look like? Is it any different appearing than regular Heroine?"

"Not really. I've only seen it maybe twice myself. It kinda looks like it's glittering when the light hits it a certain way, but otherwise just looked like normal heroine to me."

"Of course that would be too easy," he muttered to himself before turning his attention back onto Frank. "I want to meet your boss. How can that happen? I want to ask him what he knows about this 'Nectar'"

Frank snorted, amusement crossing his face. That was an emotion that did not work for Darin. He needed Frank to be afraid, not amused. "Fat chance crip. The Boss won't meet with you or anyone else that he doesn't like."

Darin frowned and quickly snapped Franks index finger and thumb, angrily twisting the digits until Franks was gagging and retching through the agony.

"What makes you think he won't like me?" he snarled.

"Dude, I'm telling you everything I know, please just stop it!" Frank began to sob, tears and snot streaming down his face in a disgusting display that only served to further stoke the flames of Darins rage.

"Stop it!," he roared, startling Frank so badly that he instantly ceased crying. "Zeus almighty are you a man or a fucking whimpering child? Quit sniveling like a toddler. Where in Hades is your pride?"

"Somewhere over there," Frank muttered and indicated the pool of vomit he had so recently deposited on the floor.

"Next question," Darin snapped. "Could you pass along a message to your Boss?"

"Sure thing. Easy peasy just let me go, please."

"We're not done yet. Hold that thought. What is so different about this 'Nectar' than regular Heroine?"

"I don't know. I've just heard that it's different. Maybe it's a different plant? Or a subspecies or something?"

Darin sighed. This mans usefulness was rapidly ending.

"Where does it come from? How much is on the streets?"

Frank looked like he was going to hesitate until Darins massive hand closed around his forearm, just below the elbow and he began to slowly twist. "I don't know!" he shrieked. "I'm just a bartender man. I don't sell the shit I just serve drinks. I don't know where it comes from but it's only been available a month, maybe a few weeks more so there can't be that much out there yet."

"That's good. See what answering quickly get's you? A reprieve from the pain. Now here's the message. Tell your Boss that I am coming for him, as are the rest of my family. If we find that he is in anyway responsible for these... creatures," he waved a free hand at the felled monstrosities that had attacked them, "or for the attack on several members of my family there will be no place on Earth that he will be able to hide from me. Tell him that what I am going to do to you will feel like a pleasant day dream next to the living nightmare of pain that I will plunge him into. If he wants to avoid this he can call me and tell me what he knows about this 'Nectar' where it comes from, what is different about it and anything else that he thinks might save his sorry, pathetic sphincter from the sharp objects I will inevitably be inserting into his still breathing corpse."

Frank trembled violently as the glowing fires within Darins eyes flared so brightly that they almost lit up his face in a baleful light. A moment later two thoughts stuck in his mind. "How will he call you? He doesn't have your number. And what do you mean 'what you're going to do to me'?"

Darin grinned, a vicious type of smile that did nothing to ease Franks fear. A moment later his arm moved sharply, still gripping Franks near the elbow and with a single, vicious movement the hapless bartenders elbow and shoulder shattered. The scream was incredibly loud, almost matching the roaring cries of their earlier attackers until mercifully he passed out. Darin dropped his limp form to the ground and quickly fished a business card from the inside pocket of his jacket which he then tucked into the pocket of Franks jeans.

"Well," he said as he straightened and turned back to Orion and Artemis. "I think we're done here, what about you guys?" While they thought he limped his way around the bar, going through their attackers pockets, all except for Stu, that man was too disgustingly filthy for him to willingly touch. They didn't have anything on them of any importance. Wallets, keys, a pocket knife that was of poor quality but Darin pocketed it anyway. No baggies or anything with the drug in it.

He went behind the bar, found a couple bottles of wild turkey, slipped one into his pocket and opened the other, taking a long and satisfying drink before sitting back and waiting to see what decision Artemis and Orion would come to.

[Lillian Thorne]

Anansi

Anansi shuffled-walked up to his old buddy old pal with a smile fit to blind the sun it was so bright. Of all the people for Mama Web to send this was the best of the best. He would have fun with him! Then his eyes slipped to the figure beside him, he wasn’t sure he knew her but her expression of poleaxed surprise sure was fun. Ah she looked at uptight as the stormy lady, perhaps they were friends. He rubbed his hands together gleefully and danced in place for a moment before rolling back into his shuffling walk. He knew ways to loosen her up. His dark clever eyes started to drift down her uptight little body and stopped. He stopped too, his dark eyes glittering dangerously as he took in her glitter.

His tongue darted out of his mouth and licked his lips in a very lascivious way and then his eyes moved to the light-footed one. Ahh… so he did wanna play, good good. He could play, he would make this fun for them all, especially that tight, high-tittied wonder who looked like she had a sense of the trouble she’d just gotten into.

“Hello there friend!” he called, picking up his pace again as if he’d never dropped it. “What brings you to my neck of the woods? Got a taste for Cards? I know a good game, best in town!”


Trouble in Hades

Charon polled his barge across the River Styx with the same timeless rhythm he always did, back and forth, back and forth with never a break but for that once. He’d gone up then, into the blinding light, out of the comforting gloom of his home to tell them what had become of his home in the absence of his master. It had pained him. Never again. No matter what, he would never leave. He had his post, he would ferry and do so gladly. Even if the underworld was not what it once had been. Held by a queen who was a willing puppet of a mad dog. His master would be so ashamed. But his master was gone and they never bothered with him, so he didn’t bother with them. Just kept at his work and felt the satisfaction of seeing his purpose through.

Something moved on the far shore. A flicker that was different than the masses of dead awaiting their turn. A flicker and a flash that hurt the ferryman’s eyes like sunlight. He squinted and looked away, not wanting to see. First because it hurt and second because he didn’t want to leave his post and if he saw what came next, he might have too.

When he looked back they were gone, just like the last ones, having flitted over the river Styx like no souls of the dead should, like only the gods could. But he didn’t know that for certain and so he didn’t have to do a damned thing about it. He could just keep at his work, polling back and forth, back and forth, forever and ever. Just like he liked it.