Where Truth Must Hurt
Stories similar to this that you might like too.
“I’m not sure I understand what you’re saying,” said Kratos, his voice hoarse with exhaustion. “You want me to kill the gods?”
The old man nodded and pointed at Athena’s statue in the corner of the room. It was a beautiful piece that depicted her as a young woman wearing an ornate armor set. Her eyes were closed in concentration while she held up a shield that had been broken by Ares’ hammer.
The goddess looked peaceful, but Kratos could sense something dark within her soul—something that made him feel ill just looking upon it. He wondered if this was how he would look when he died: like a corpse covered in blood and bile from vomiting up all the evil inside himself.
“It is time for us to end our feuds,” said Zeus. “We must put aside our differences so we can defeat Hades.”
Kratos shook his head. “No, my lord. That will never happen. You are wrong about one thing only: I am no longer your son.”
Zeus frowned and turned away. “What do you mean? How dare you speak to me thusly!”
He moved closer until they stood face-to-face. Kratos stared into the king’s eyes, which were filled with rage. His father wanted him dead more than anything else on Olympus, and now he knew why. But there was nothing he could say or do that would change the outcome. There was too much hatred between them. Not even death would bring peace.
“My brother has already killed you once,” said Kratos. “And I have done everything I can think of to stop him. So yes, I am your son. And I’ll always be your son. Until the day I die.”
His words seemed to satisfy Zeus, who relaxed slightly and stepped back. “Very well then. We shall fight together against Hades. For the sake of our people.”
Kratos smiled bitterly. “For the sake of our people…isn’t that what you told me before?”
Zeus nodded. “Yes. It is also true that I lied. Because I did not lie to protect you; I lied because I needed you gone. Your presence here disturbs me greatly.”
“Because it reminds you of your failures,” said Kratos. “That’s why you sent me out into the world to find answers and grow stronger. To become someone worthy enough to stand next to you on Olympus.”
Zeus snorted derisively. “Do you really believe that? Do you truly think that you’ve grown strong enough to challenge me? Or anyone else for that matter? No, you haven’t. In fact, you’re weaker than ever. You lack the strength to defeat Ares, let alone any other god or titan.”
Kratos scoffed. “Don’t insult me, Father. I know exactly where I stand compared to everyone else in this room.”
Zeus scowled. “Then prove it! Prove to me that you deserve to remain alive. Show me that you have learned to control yourself and overcome your anger. If you cannot, then I will see you dead.”
Kratos didn’t respond. Instead, he walked over to the throne and sat down. As he leaned forward, his gaze fell on the sword hanging above the chair. A single tear rolled down his cheek.
“I don’t need to prove myself to you, Father,” he whispered sadly. “All I have to do is remember the last time we fought. Remember how you beat me easily…”
***
Ares Is Coming
“So, what happened after I left?” asked Kratos. “Did you get rid of those two guards?”
Athena shrugged. “They were easy to deal with. They weren’t very smart, so I convinced them that Ares was coming to take their lives. Then I took care of them both.”
She paused and glanced at Ares’ statue again. “But I couldn’t help but wonder why you chose that particular moment to visit me.”
Kratos grinned wryly. “Well, I wasn’t planning on staying long. I figured I’d come here, tell you some lies, and leave without another word. But then I saw that statue of yours, and I remembered what you said. About how you thought I might still be able to save you. Well, I guess I proved you right.”
The goddess frowned. “How did you do that? Why would you risk your life for mine?”
Kratos chuckled. “Oh, I’m sorry. Did you forget? When you came to me in my cell, you said—”
“I know what I said,” snapped the goddess. “You heard me. And yet you ignored me. Just like you always do when I try to talk to you.”
“Listen, Athena, I realize that things are different now. After all, I just killed a bunch of gods. But I swear to you that I won’t turn my back on you again. I promise I’ll stay by your side from now on.”
Her expression softened. “Thank you,” she said softly. “I know you meant every word.”
“Good. Now, if you don’t mind, I’d like to go home.”
After her brief conversation with Kratos, Athena returned to the palace and resumed normal duties as a messenger. She spent most of the rest of the day delivering messages and dispatching messengers. Her mood remained somber throughout the entire ordeal, however. The events of earlier that morning had shaken her deeply.
By mid-afternoon, she was ready to return home and spend the evening alone. But before leaving, she decided to check on Ares’ statue once more.
To her surprise, the statue was no longer there.
“What happened to it?” she wondered aloud. “Where could it have gone?”
Just then, she spotted a small figure standing near the entrance to the hall. He looked familiar. Was that—?
Before she could identify him, the boy turned around and ran off.
“Wait!” cried Athena. “Who are you?”
He stopped running and slowly approached her. His face was pale, and beads of sweat glistened on his forehead.
“Please, don’t hurt me,” he begged. “My name is Deimos. I’m an orphan. Please, I beg you, spare me.”
Athena studied him carefully. There was something about him that seemed vaguely familiar. Something that made her feel uneasy.
Suddenly, she realized that he reminded her of Kratos.
Deimos continued to stare up at her fearfully. “I-It’s okay, Miss Athena. I mean, Lady Athena. I… I can explain everything.”
“Explain what?”
“Everything. Everything that has been happening lately. It started a few days ago when I went out to play. That night, I was attacked by a giant snake. I managed to kill it, but not before it bit me. Ever since then, I’ve felt weak. My vision keeps going black, and I keep seeing strange visions. Sometimes they’re of people dying horribly. Other times, I see monsters attacking towns or cities.”
“Are these the same images that you saw in my dreams?”
“Yes. You told me that I should tell you anything that I dreamed of. So I did. I dreamt about you being trapped inside a cave. Another time, I saw you fighting a monster. And sometimes, I even see you walking through the streets of Athens, looking for someone to help.”
“Why didn’t you say anything sooner?” demanded Athena. “And where are you taking me?”
“I’m taking you to the Oracle of Delphi. I think she knows what’s wrong with you. Maybe she can cure you.”
“No! No way am I going anywhere with you!”
“Please, Miss Athena. I need your help.”
“Then ask me nicely. If you want me to heal you, you must behave yourself.”
“All right, all right. I apologize. Forgive me.”
“Very well. Come along.”
Deimos followed her down the hallway to a large room filled with pillars. At the far end stood an enormous marble pillar. Its base was carved into the shape of a woman holding a staff. A single question mark rested above her head.
As soon as they entered the chamber, Athena sensed a powerful presence. She knew immediately that this was the place where the Oracle spoke to those seeking answers.
She led Deimos over to one of the benches lining the walls. Then she sat down next to him.
“Now, listen closely,” she instructed. “Tell me everything that you saw last night while we were sleeping.”
The boy took a deep breath and began recounting his experience.
***
Ares woke up with a start.
For some reason, he couldn’t remember why he was here. All he remembered was that he had fallen asleep somewhere in the temple.
When he opened his eyes, he found himself lying on a stone floor. In front of him lay a huge pool of water. On its surface floated several statues of the Greek gods. They ranged from the towering Zeus to tiny Hephaestus.
He quickly rose to his feet and gazed around the room.
There was nothing else in sight except for the statues.
That’s odd, thought Ares. Why would the goddesses leave their statues behind?
Something caught his eye.
On the other side of the pool, he noticed a small wooden door.
He walked toward it until he reached the edge of the pool. When he peered inside, he discovered that the doorway led to a narrow staircase leading down.
Without hesitation, he stepped onto the first step. The stairs descended deeper and deeper into the earth. Soon, he came upon another landing. This one contained two doors. One led to the left; the other to the right.
He chose the latter and pushed open the heavy oak door. Once again, he found himself staring at the pool of water.
But now, instead of statues, he saw a man floating on the surface. He was naked and covered with blood.
Ares gasped when he recognized the dead body as that of Kratos.
What happened to him? wondered Ares. How could he have died so suddenly?
Before he had time to ponder the mystery, however, another figure appeared beside him. It was a tall, dark-haired young man wearing a white robe.
His face looked familiar somehow. But there was no mistaking the fact that he was the son of Zeus.
“Hello, Ares,” said Apollo. “You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”
“Where am I?” asked the god.
“This is the Temple of Apollo. It’s located beneath Mount Parnassus. We’ve been friends ever since I helped you rescue Aphrodite from Hades’ clutches. As you know, I’m also known as the God of Healing. I’m glad to see that you’re feeling better after your ordeal with the Cyclops. By the way, how do you feel?”
“My head still hurts, but otherwise, I’m fine.”
Apollo smiled. “I take it that you haven’t regained full consciousness yet?”
Ares shook his head.
“Well, don’t worry. That will happen eventually. Just give it a few more minutes.”
While he waited, Ares studied the young man standing before him. The resemblance between them was uncanny. Both men had the same golden skin tone, long black hair, and piercing blue eyes. But whereas Apollo resembled a handsome prince, Ares looked more like a warrior king.
Athena appeared beside them.
“Hi, Ares,” she greeted.
“Hey, Athena. What brings you here?”
“We were just talking about you. You should be grateful that Apollo is helping you recover. Otherwise, you’d probably never wake up.”
“Thanks for the vote of confidence,” replied Ares. “So, who’s this guy?”
“This is my friend, Apollo. He happens to be the greatest healer in Greece.”
“Really? Well, if he can make me whole again, then maybe I’ll let him patch up your wounds.”
“Don’t get any ideas,” warned Athena. “Apollo has already healed every injury that you suffered during your fight against the Cyclops. And he did it without using his magic or special powers.”
“Then how…”
Suddenly, Ares realized what must have happened.
“Oh, yeah. I guess that makes sense. After all, the only thing missing from my body were my wings.”
“Exactly,” agreed on Apollo. “And once he restored them, you started healing yourself.”
“Huh. So that’s why I felt so much stronger than usual.”
“Yes, it does seem logical, doesn’t it?”
After a moment, Ares turned back to Apollo.
“By the way, are you going to tell me where we are?”
“No, not quite yet. First, allow me to introduce you to the other members of our little group.”
As he spoke, Apollo gestured toward the pool.
In the water, Ares spotted three figures: Athena, Hera, and Poseidon.
They were seated at the bottom of the pool—just like he had been earlier. They seemed completely relaxed, soaking up the sun.
The goddesses didn’t appear to notice his presence. Instead, they continued chatting among themselves.
Hera, the Queen of the Gods, was the first to spot Ares. She lifted her head out of the water and stared at him intently.
Her expression revealed that she knew exactly who he was.
She gave him an icy stare, which made Ares uncomfortable. Then, like the others, she returned to her conversation.
Finally, Apollo cleared his throat.
“Okay, Ares. Now that everyone knows each other, I think it’s time we got down to business. Why don’t you start by telling us how you ended up here.”
“Right. Okay, well…it all began with the death of my brother, Hephaestus.”
***
Dawn was breaking over Mount Olympus.
It would soon be time for the gods to rise and begin their day. But first, they needed to finish breakfast.
Each member of the council sat around the table in the dining hall.
They were eating honeyed figs, cheese, bread, olives, grapes, and dried fruit.
For some reason, none of them wanted anything to drink.
But even though they weren’t drinking wine, the food tasted delicious.
Sitting next to Zeus was Hermes.
He was eating a large bowl of oatmeal topped with raisins and nuts.
Next to him was Artemis, who was munching on a plate of brownies.
Artemis loved sweets almost as much as she enjoyed hunting animals.
Zeus noticed that one of the brownie crumbs had fallen onto her dress.
“Excuse me, Artemis,” said Zeus. “Would you mind wiping off your face?”
“Sure,” answered the goddess.
With a quick flick of her finger, she wiped away the crumb.
Meanwhile, Hera was sitting across from Apollo.
She picked up a piece of toast and dipped it into a dish of jam.
“How many times do I have to ask you not to eat with your hands?” asked Hera.
“I’m sorry, Your Majesty,” apologized Apollo. “You know how clumsy I am when I try to use utensils. Besides, I thought it might be rude to keep picking things up with my fingers.”
“That’s true,” admitted Hera. “Still, you could at least wipe your mouth after you take a bite.”
“Of course, Your Majesty.”
Apollo took a napkin and used it to clean his lips.
Since he was still wearing the bandages on his wrists, Apollo couldn’t reach his mouth very easily.
Athena glanced over at Apollo.
“Why don’t you sit closer to the table?” suggested the goddess. “Your arms look pretty sore.”
“Thank you, Athena,” replied Apollo.
The god moved to the edge of the table, where he could put both feet flat on the floor.
“Now, what was I saying?” asked Zeus. “Ah yes. The story of how Hercules defeated the Hydra. It seems that you’ve forgotten something important.”
“What’s that?” asked Apollo.
“Well, if you recall, Hercules was able to defeat the monster because he cut its heads off. But then he was forced to leave one of the heads behind. That meant that the Hydra would continue growing new heads whenever someone killed another of them.”
“Yeah, I remember now,” said Apollo.
“So what happens when the Hydra grows two more heads?” wondered Zeus.
“Nothing good,” answered Apollo. “If Hercules is ever attacked again, he’ll probably end up killing himself.”
“This hydra sounds dangerous,” said Zeus. “Maybe we should kill it before it gets any bigger.”
“Not so fast, Zeus,” said Apollo. “We need to find out why this thing has suddenly appeared.”
“Agreed,” said Zeus. “Let’s give Hercules a chance to figure it out.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” agreed Apollo.
“And speaking of Hercules, I want you to stay close to him today,” added Zeus. “If you see or hear anything suspicious, make sure to let me know right away.”
“Understood,” said Apollo.
“Good,” said Zeus.
Then, the king turned back to the table and started eating his cereal.
Ares finished eating and stood up. He walked toward the door leading outside.
As he did, he spotted the head of Medusa peeking out from inside a basket.
The creature looked at Ares and smiled.
“Hey there, Medusa,” greeted the god. “Are you ready to go? We’re going to meet up with Hercules.”
Medusa nodded and crawled out of the basket. Then, she followed Ares through the doorway.
Once they were gone, Zeus turned to the rest of the council members.
“All right, people,” said Zeus. “It looks like we can finally get to work.”
“Finally!” exclaimed Aphrodite. “I’m starving! Let’s eat.”
Everyone else joined in, too. They ate until their stomachs hurt.
Afterward, Zeus called for silence.
“Okay,” said the king. “Here’s our first order of business: we need to decide which gods will serve as judges during the trial of Prometheus.”
“Oh no,” groaned Poseidon. “Do we really have to do this?”
“Yes,” answered Zeus. “Prometheus was sentenced to death by torture, but only because he stole fire from the gods. If he hadn’t done that, he wouldn’t have been punished. So, the question is whether or not the punishment fits the crime.”
“Wait a minute,” interjected Hermes. “Isn’t stealing fire from the gods against the rules? How are we supposed to judge whether the punishment fit the crime?”
“Exactly,” said Zeus. “That’s why I decided to appoint a panel of judges. Each member will determine whether or not the punishment was fair. And if it wasn’t, they’ll change the sentence accordingly.”
“But who should be on this panel?” asked Poseidon.
“Hercules, obviously,” said Zeus.
“No way,” protested Poseidon. “He’s just a mortal.”
“True,” conceded Zeus. “However, he knows a lot about justice, since he’s served as a hero many times.”
Poseidon grumbled angrily under his breath.
Zeus ignored him and continued talking.
“Next, I’d like to ask Hades to join us,” he announced. “His job is to oversee the Underworld, so he should be familiar with all the underworld deities.”
“Fine,” said Poseidon. “Whatever.”
“What?” asked Zeus.
“You heard me,” replied Poseidon. “Just fine.”
“Excellent,” said Zeus. “Now, I think it’s time for the next item on our agenda.”
“Which is?” asked Hephaestus.
“We need to discuss the final details of the trial,” explained Zeus.
“Details?” repeated Hephaestus. “Like what?”
“For example,” said Zeus, “we should probably write down exactly what Prometheus did wrong. After all, we don’t want anyone to accuse us of being unfair.”
“Why would anyone say that?” asked Hephaestus.
“Because Prometheus was tortured to death,” answered Zeus. “If he had simply been banished instead, he could’ve lived out the rest of his days in peace.”
The End