16. Hermes
16
HERMES
I hate Medea.
I also hate the small cage she has stuck me in. A bird actually flew over and pooped on my head. It’s painful.
I mean the cage. She made it out of celestial bronze, and there’s no way I can break myself out of this if I tried. It would take real magic, and sadly, that is not my strong point.
I wasn’t sure that I even had a strong point right now. Maybe looking good and rocking a thong on the beach. But that might be it. I wasn’t even good at saving my mate. Instead, I failed – I got captures – I was in a fucking cage, and now, he was going to have to come here and probably die in front of me.
I went dark, didn’t I?
I was scared. Gods didn’t get scared unless there was a chance that we might actually die, but this time… I was scared for Sam. He wasn’t built for this – no human was.
A hero. Sam was a hero. He had been given a quest, and a quest wouldn’t have been given if he couldn’t accomplish it. My heart had hope. My brain was already planning my funeral.
The sun was not high enough in the sky for my liking. The cold moon would soon start to show itself. The world was going to end.
Would they even come? Of course they would. They all had something to fight for. A life with those they loved and children for whom they cared. I would have a ringside seat to all of their deaths.
This was depressing.
“Feeling sad?” Medea came and stood by my cage. Did I say I hated her already? Oh, yeah, I did. But it deserved to be said again. I hated her. Medea was a harpy, and if I survived, I was going to print t-shirts.
“Fuck you.”
“Ah… And here I thought I was being so kind to make sure your cage didn’t have any sharp edges. I’d hate for you to cut yourself, but I couldn’t have you getting in my way. I'm sure your… friends will do that for you.”
“If I get out of here, Medea – I will kill you.”
“I think you actually believe that. After all we’ve shared, Hermes? It makes me sad.” She pretended to cry and grinned wickedly.
We’ll find a way to stop you. We always do. Bad never wins against good.”
“Oh, honey. It’s a new age. The internet has created the rise of the troll. People now care more about their online profile than they do their real life. Good has officially come to an end. But I plan on changing all of that.”
“By killing everyone?”
“Not everyone, dumbass. Just your kind and anyone else who has magic. Don’t you understand how this spell works? I thought you had it all figured out. No? You never were the smartest. Athena would have worked it out by now, but she seems to have disappeared.”
“You? Is she who you have captured to power your evil spell?”
“No. I don’t need to do anything to those who chose to be distant. The time of your reign, although it’s pretty sad now, officially comes to an end tonight. I mean, your kind pander for any sort of worship to retain your power. Look at Apollo.”
“I will strangle you when I get out of here, and I will get out.”
“Oh, you definitely will. I promise you that. You are an important part. Here’s what’s interesting about the whole thing. I don’t mind telling you, stupid one, because you’re going to be dead and can do nothing about it. Here’s the good part. The spell – the runes on the sculpture capture the magic and hold it. It’s not gone. It is held inside. Once the spell is ended, it will be funneled into the one person who can wield it and create a utopia with it. Me. Humans will worship me, and I shall be their god. They will need no other.”
“I figured it was about power. It’s pathetic.”
“Enough. The spell can’t be successful without someone to help me with what I need. A spell this powerful needs a being powerful enough to fuel the energy the spell needs. That’s why the prophecy was given. That’s why the Elemental was called.”
“You created the prophecy?”
“No, but magic did.”
“Huh?”
“Yes… I did it. You really are stupid. Pretty but stupid. All of your kind are the same.”
“The Truth? Tell me! Did you create The Truth?”
“It existed before I ever came on board. But they were stupid and unorganized and had no proof. It was a lot like Bigfoot, you know. Without me, none of this – the organization – the diabolical plans would not have happened. All they needed was a push. Harry is really easy to control. But now, I need them no more. I don’t think we need prying eyes into a family squabble, do you?”
She crouched down and muttered an incantation. I could feel the heat of her fire and hear the screams from the camp.
“They were preparing for a victory party. Every member in camp to celebrate our success. Not anymore. The world does not need morons and those people,” she spat, “were the worst type of morons. My world will have no hate, Hermes. No fear and pain. All they have to do is worship me, and I will care for everyone.”
“God… You really are a horrible, wicked witch.”
“Who do you think the song was written about?”
“You killed them all?”
“I put them out of their misery. Wait until you see what I do to your friends. I owe Eros pain.”
I pushed myself further back into my cage. I could do nothing. All those people dead. They were scared, but they didn’t deserve death. Petey… He wasn’t a bad guy. He just hadn’t had a chance to understand the truth. Now he never would.
Before I could say anything, a flash of light hit Medea square in the chest, and she flew across the ground, but she did not fall down. Somehow, she stayed on her feet.
“I think I heard you call my name. It’s really too late for you to be a member of my fan club,” Apollo chuckled as he slowly levitated to the ground.
“You thought you could beat me alone?”
“No. He’s not alone.” Eros blasted Medea with so much power that the ground around her was singed. When the smoke cleared, she stood there with a smile on her face.
“Good, I was hoping you’d show up.” A red light flickered from her hands, and Eros doubled over in pain.
Horus fell from the sky and brought down his sword. It caught Medea off guard but did not hurt her. It did, however, stop her spell, and Eros stood back up.
“That pissed me off.” He flew through the air and blasted her again.
Apollo joined in, and I could feel the heat of the sun on my face.
“Dude. This is getting gnarly.” Kitty shifted and put her hands on the cage. “How do I get you out of here?”
“I have no idea. Where’s Sam?”
“He’s coming with the others.”
“Stop him. The prophecy isn’t real. He can’t defeat her. He’s a part of her plan. Find him, Kitty. Without him, she can’t do the spell.” I screamed, and she immediately shifted and ran off. All I could do was hope that she would find him before he could get here.
“Witch!”
Oh shit! Heka had joined the fray. I hadn’t seen him in over a thousand years. He made a mean cheese platter and threw a rocking party. Blasts of energy joined Apollo and Eros's, but it didn’t seem to be stopping her. Somehow, she was still standing with her robe wrapped tightly about her.
Magic.
Her robe was deflecting their power. How was it doing that?
“You’ve gone too far. I walked the Earth when this spell was created, and it shall not be put to use.”
“Use? You lost your usefulness thousands of years ago.” Medea stood and flexed. It was odd. But the wave of energy that reverberated out of her sent all of them tumbling backward.
“Hermes.”
I turned and saw Nepthys, the Dark Raven, standing behind me. “Traitor.”
“No… I but seem to be on her side. I am here to help. Stand back. Your mate will help her to unleash a power that not even she can control. She’s wrong, and I know it. But your blood is what she will use to transfer the power. It would destroy her. I told the cat. Scoot back.”
I did. With a wave of her hand, my bars began to glow.