Pegasus and the Origins of Olympus (27 page)

‘Or?’ Saturn said.

‘Or I can lose my temper and things will get very ugly very quickly.’

Saturn hesitated, but only for an instant. His image became solid. ‘If you are truly Xan, your powers will keep you trapped here for ever. I will give you the boy as a gift to show you I can be generous. But I will not release you or end this war. My treacherous children will be punished for their defiance. I will launch my weapon against them and be done with it. Then we will discuss how you are to serve me.’

The image of Saturn vanished.

‘Serve you?’ Emily cried furiously. ‘Never!’ She fired blast upon blast into the darkness, trying to break out of the void.

‘
Emily, stop!
’ Riza cried. ‘
You are only fortifying the walls of your prison. Control your temper now before it is too late!
’

Emily’s temper flared as she thought back to Riza, ‘I know you said I shouldn’t destroy a Titan. But I swear, if Saturn launches that weapon against the Olympians, it will be the very last thing he does!’

‘Everything is dead.’ Stella looked around Titus.

The moment they arrived on Titus, Stella noticed how much it looked like Olympus from the brief glimpse she had seen of it from the future. The air felt the same and, just like Olympus, there were magnificent marble buildings and structures.

‘It’s just like Olympus after the CRU sent the weapon there.’

The trees around them were dry and withered. The grass was brown and no birds, animals or insects could be heard.

‘This is what Olympus looked like after our attack?’ Agent B said in quiet shock.

Stella nodded. ‘It was so beautiful and yet so dead.’

‘Olympus and Titus were magnificent twin worlds,’ Jupiter said sadly. ‘In creating that weapon, Saturn has destroyed this world just to defeat us.’

There was something in his voice that caught Stella’s attention. Jupiter didn’t sound right. He didn’t look right either. He was starting to hunch over. She looked around at the other Olympians – they too were looking ill.

‘What’s wrong?’ Agent B removed his Blackbird helmet and checked on Jupiter.

‘We are near the weapon,’ Jupiter gasped. ‘Minerva warned us, but I did not believe it would affect me as quickly as it has. We must find it before it kills us.’

The Minotaur snorted and pounded the ground. The Turtle Warrior pulled himself inside his shell and squealed in pain while the Blackbird Warrior cawed and Dragon Warrior roared. Even Briareos was having violent reactions to the proximity of the weapon.

Stella wheeled her chair over to Vulcan and touched his arm lightly. ‘Can you feel in which direction the pain is coming from?’

‘Everywhere,’ he groaned.

‘Be more specific,’ Agent B ordered sharply. ‘We can’t stop the weapon if we can’t find it!’

Vulcan balled his hands into fists. He stood upright and removed his helmet. His face was pinched in terrible pain. He turned in a slow circle and pointed at a beautiful pillared building rising in the distance. ‘It is from in there, Saturn’s palace.’

‘Of course it would be,’ Agent B moaned. ‘Look. That’s where all the Shadow Titans are posted.’ He checked the sky around him. ‘At least I can’t see any flying Shadows. They’re probably on Earth for the final battle.’ The CRU agent drew his flame-sword. ‘I hope you Olympians can pull yourselves together because Stella and I can’t fight them all alone.’

Pluto was doubled over in pain. ‘I have no powers with that weapon exposed,’ he said through gritted teeth. ‘But at least I can still wield a sword.’

‘So can I,’ agreed Jupiter, drawing his own weapon. ‘We must move now before that thing finishes us.’

Stella pulled out her own flame-sword from its sheath mounted on her wheelchair. ‘Maxine, I need your help,’ she said to her chair. ‘Please take me to Saturn’s palace. We must get to the weapon.’

Beneath her, her chair reacted to the request. The wheels started to turn as the chair moved forward.

Long before they reached the palace, the Shadow Titans became aware of their presence on Titus. They charged along the cobbled roads and attacked the Olympians with all the ferocity they possessed.

Once again, Briareos proved his worth. Even under the sickening effects of the weapon, he was a powerful fighter. He cut a clear path through the masses of Shadow Titans.

But the Big Three were weakening. Moment by moment, they slowed down and struggled for breath.

Jupiter was struck in the back by an unseen Shadow Titan’s sword. The armour he wore protected him, but he was still knocked to the ground. Agent B fought his way over to the fallen Olympian and used his flame-sword to destroy a warrior. He helped Jupiter climb painfully to his feet.

‘We cannot win like this,’ Jupiter panted, holding on to the agent’s arm for support. ‘The weapon’s power is too great. It will kill us long before we reach the palace.’

‘You and Stella are our only hope. I beg you, get to the palace and secure the weapon in the golden box. With it covered, our strength may return. Go now, before it is too late.’

Stella commanded Maxine to take her up in the air. ‘Agent B, Maxine can carry us!’

‘You’re sure this thing can lift us both?’

Maxine swooped down as Agent B leaped in the air and caught hold of one of her wheels.

‘Yes she can!’ Stella cheered as Maxine carried them above the fighting, towards the palace. ‘She can do anything!’

Agent B used his free hand to slay as many Shadow Titans as he could with his flame-sword.

Behind them, the battle raged on. Briareos loomed high above the attacking warriors. But the huge Hundred-hander was slowing. Even from this distance, they could see the pain etched on his filthy face.

‘If he goes down, they all go,’ Agent B warned. ‘Hurry up, Maxine, we must stop that weapon!’

As they approached the tall palace, Stella noticed movement on the roof. ‘Someone’s up there.’

‘That’s the highest point in the area. It’s a perfect launch pad for the weapon.’

Stella asked Maxine for more speed and to land on the roof. With his flame-sword held high, Agent B jumped away from Maxine just as the wheelchair touched down on the smooth marble surface.

They stopped several metres short of a figure who might once have been a man. It was too shrivelled up to tell what it was now. In its arms it struggled to carry a large stone. The very same stone Stella had witnessed falling out of the golden box so very long ago.

‘That’s it, that’s the weapon!’ she cried.

‘Is this what you are looking for, human?’ the shrivelled creature asked. ‘You are too late. In moments I will be dead and you will witness Saturn’s greatest triumph. The moment we reach Olympus, I will detonate it. The weapon’s powers will grow and spread across the cosmos, destroying every living Olympian there is. This victory is worth my suffering.’ The creature held up a blue stone that looked similar to the one Joel and Emily had.

‘No!’ Agent B cried. He raised his sword and charged.

Six Shadow Titans burst on to the palace roof and ran at the CRU agent.

‘Stella, do something. Stop him!’ Agent B cried as he took on all the attacking Shadow Titans.

There was no time to think. The old man held up the jewel.

Stella dropped her flame-sword and drew out her small silver dagger. Vulcan had taught her how to throw it with deadly accuracy. But that was practice. This was the real thing.

‘Olympus!’ the old man cried.

Stella grasped the dagger by the blade and held her breath.

The Solar Stream opened in front of the old man and he started to move.

Stella used all her strength to throw the dagger.

It struck the hideous creature squarely in the chest. He dropped the stone and staggered sideways, falling away from the open Solar Stream.

‘The stone, Stella,’ Agent B shouted. ‘Get it in the box.’

‘Maxine, move,’ Stella cried. ‘Get me to that stone.’

Stella threw herself from her wheelchair and struggled to free the large golden box from beneath her seat. ‘Release the box.’

The wheelchair tipped itself back until the box came away from the restraining brackets. It hit the slippery marble roof and slid further away.

Stella cursed and tried to roll the stone over to the golden box. But as she moved and felt its weight, she knew she could never lift it into the box.

‘Maxine, push it closer to me!’

The wheelchair did as she commanded and pushed the golden box to where the stone lay. Stella raised herself up as high as she could and lifted the heavy gold lid.

‘Agent B,’ she yelled, ‘the stone is too heavy for me, I can’t lift it into the box.’

There were only three Shadow Titans left fighting Agent B. Around them lay the scattered remnants of the other fighters. His flame-sword flashed in the air as he cut down a fourth Shadow Titan. With only two remaining Turtle Warriors left, Agent B dashed back to Stella.

‘Get ready with the lid!’ He dropped his sword and hoisted the heavy stone into the air. Just as he was about to place it in the box, the two Turtle Warriors charged forward and pierced through Agent B’s armour with their swords.

The CRU agent gasped in agony. Stella saw the blood-covered blades sticking out the front of his armour. The Turtles pulled their weapons free and stabbed again.

‘Get the lid,’ Agent B gulped. As he fell over, he used the last of his fading strength to drop the stone into the golden box. Struggling with its weight, Stella managed to close the lid on the weapon.

Agent B fell back on the palace roof and became still.

Stella struggled up on to the box. Without a weapon, she stared defiantly into the covered faces of the advancing Shadow Titans.

‘Saturn,’ Emily shouted, ‘where are you, you liar!’

Emily wasn’t sure how long she had been in the Energy Void. But certainly it was long enough for Saturn to bring Joel to her if he’d really intended to.

She paced, furious at her imprisonment. What was happening outside? Were the others all right? Had they made it to Titus to get the weapon?

With Mike close at her side, Emily continued to shoot out blasts of power, hoping to find a weakness. But every time she did, Riza said she was making her prison stronger.

‘
If you really want to get out of here
,’ Riza warned, ‘
you must find calm. Stop using any of your powers. Deny your anger and your grief. Bring peace to yourself. That is the only way to defeat an Energy Void
.’

Emily had heard the same thing time and time again, but wondered how she was supposed to put her emotions aside when everything was at stake. Finally she sat down and extinguished the Flame in her hand. Sitting in the darkness, she focused on calming her breathing.

‘
Very good
,’ Riza said. ‘
Now, go somewhere in your mind. Go to where you are most peaceful. Imagine yourself there and nowhere else
.’

Emily closed her eyes. Mike laid his head in her lap as she softly stroked the length of his warm body. She imagined that Mike was Pegasus. They were walking together on their private silver beach. It was night and the stars were reflected like diamonds in the water. The air was warm and fragrant and the only sounds she could hear were the stallion’s hooves in the water.

A sense of calm washed over Emily. There was nothing else. Just Pegasus and her. No war, no violence and no loss – just the still waters, the stars and the winged stallion at her side.

Emily was at peace.

After a time, she lifted her head and felt a gentle breeze on her face. But as the moments passed, it changed. It wasn’t as warm as it had been. In fact, it smelled musty and damp. She opened her eyes.

The silver beach was gone. Pegasus was gone. It was Mike’s head on her lap, not the stallion’s. Emily found herself sitting on a cold stone floor in a very deep pit.

‘
You did it!
’ Riza cried. ‘
Emily, you defeated the Energy Void despite your emotions. I am so sorry I doubted you
.’

Emily climbed, disoriented, to her feet. One moment she was with Pegasus on their silver beach, the next she was alone in a damp pit with Mike. The sound of dripping water was everywhere. Everything came back to her. She had been imprisoned in a limitless dark place. There was the war, the Titan weapon, and Joel.

Saturn had Joel!

‘Yes, Riza,’ Emily said angrily, ‘I am emotional. But that doesn’t mean I’m weak. It means despite all these powers, I still care. And right now, what I care about is finding Joel!’

High above her was a faint light. Using her powers she pushed and lifted off the ground. The urgent need to find Joel became overpowering. If Saturn had hurt him, there would be no stopping her.

At the top of the pit, Emily was greeted by several Shadow Titan guards. She dispatched them efficiently with her Flame efficiently. The door was next as she used her powers to tear it off its hinges.

‘C’mon, Mike, let’s find Joel!’

Out in the corridor, Emily was reminded of the prison at Tartarus. The thick stone walls were covered in a film of wet mould just like in the prison and the musty air smelled the same. She recalled the brief journey through the Solar Stream. It was too fast and too short.

‘This is still Tartarus!’

Jupiter had told her the prison at Tartarus was massive. It went very deep underground and would offer the Titans protection from the effects of the weapon. How was she to find Joel?

She knelt down beside the dog and scratched behind his ears. ‘I’ve been thinking like a human, when I have the powers of the Xan!’

Emily put her arms around the dog, closed her eyes and envisioned Joel’s face. She focused on transporting to where Joel was. The next moment, she arrived in a dark cell.

‘Joel?’

‘Em?’

Mike barked excitedly. Relief washed over Emily when she saw Joel crouching down to greet the dog. He was filthy, but alive!

‘Thank God!’ Joel cried as he threw his arms around her. He lifted her off the floor and gave her the biggest hug and kiss she’d ever had. ‘I’ve been worried sick! Where have you been?’

‘Saturn locked me in something called an Energy Void.’