The God of Olympus (29 page)

             
Then Philoctetes approached Hercules and said comforting words.  “Hercules, there may yet be one way to save her,” said Philoctetes.

             
“You can save her!” exclaimed Hercules joyfully.

             
“I cannot save her Hercules, but you might!”

             
“What? What are you talking about?”

             
“When your parents sacrificed themselves for you you were given great powers, and if I understand the deep magic like they do then not only did their sacrifice for you allow you to become a God, but a super-God, for they were two Gods.  With the powers of two great Gods within you, you can give up the power of one God and place that into Meg. Thus you may bind yourself to her and you two together become a super-God!”

             
Hercules then said, “But Philoctetes…how am I to bring her back?”

             
“Only you can know,” replied Philoctetes.

             
Hercules looked down into Meg’s eyes and didn’t know how to bring her back so he simply leaned down towards her, ran his hands through her hair, wrapped his arms around her, and gave her a kiss on the cheek.  But it was not the kiss that brought her back.  It was Hercules’ word.  After he kissed her he said, “Meg, as my parents did with me, I surrender my God-power into you.  By the power of Zeus and Hera now gone may you yet live, even it costs me my life!”

             
After a few moments Hercules saw Meg take a deep breath and open her eyes.

             
Immediately after Meg had risen Phil’s words returned to Hercules with great force: “The one thing that can defeat Hades is the selflessness of
two individuals
, two individuals that make
one hero
—individuals to connect the mortal world and the God world! Only after the God becomes in the same state as the mortal and the mortal as the God will all things be at right again!”  Hercules realized that this was finally a fulfillment of Philoctetes’ words.  Hercules and Meg were now one—one great hero.  Hercules had been in the same state as a mortal when he lost all of his God powers because of the storm.  And now Meg was a God.  All things had been made right again!

             
Meg awoke, looked up into Hercules’ eyes, and smiled.  “What am I doing here?  Are we both dead?”

             
Hercules shook his head.  “No, not both dead, but both Gods!”

             
“Gods?” asked Meg.  She had never thought about being a God before.  Meg had to admit that she felt different.  No longer did she feel all the pain and weakness she felt before.  No, instead she felt stronger and when she looked down at herself, she saw a bright light emanate from her being.

             
She looked up at Hercules and they kissed each other most passionately. The moment that Hercules and Meg were reunited was a miraculous moment, a moment far grander than any previous to it.  In these moments both saw each other for who they really were.  Hercules saw Meg, not only as a great, beautiful goddess, but as a woman whose love extended far beyond that of any other person he met.  He saw in her the happiness of a forgiven soul, a soul who walked with great confidence and hope. And she saw Hercules, not as a man who had everything given to him, but as a man who had earned all that he had achieved.  This was how the evil of Hades, and his maniacal plan to destroy their love, actually proved quite fruitful in the end.  Then Hercules lifted Meg up from off the ground until she stood up beside him.  This was a great miracle, a miracle that Meg was again able to live to be with Hercules.

             
But as Hercules and Meg looked over the battlefield they realized that this was not the only miracle that had happened or was to happen.

             
The fires that had raged were not completely extinguished by the water Poseidon hurled over the battlefield.  And now the water itself was beginning to sink down into the ground and wash away the filth.  Although buildings had crumbled to the ground, and although many people were killed there was a sense of new life in the air now.

             
With the sun beaming brightly now Hercules watched as many souls emerged from the water and bathed in the light.  These were the souls that were previously bound by Hades and weighed down in guilt and regret.  But no longer did these souls feel this way.  They were finally free.  They stood there in the sun and let its light dry them. 

             
Hades’ fallen heroes, such as Herakles, looked down towards the ground in shame, and realized that following Hades was a grave mistake.  They approached Hercules and bowed before him, pleading for his forgiveness.  “We but ask that we may be forgiven, so that we may go in peace!”

             
Hercules nodded.  “Very well!  I see that you are sincere.  Go!  Be at peace!”

             
The evil Gods, such as Ares, Hephaestus and Dionysus, however, did not return to help Hades.  They saw him, but abandoned him there and went to their own land to live afar off, apart from the land of the true Gods.  Hades hated these Gods all the more for leaving him there in bondage.

             
Hades’ flying servants also left the land, to go hide in their caves for the rest of their lives.

             
Those from Sparta, Athens, and neighboring cities who fought against Hades rejoiced to finally see the battle end.

             
But still some Gods did many great things.  Demeter raised his hands and caused the land to grow up with vegetation and crops again.  Asclepius wandered throughout the land, healing all those who were injured.

             
But the ordinary people and the land was not all that changed.  Philoctetes also found that he had miraculously changed.  No longer was he hideous and covered in fur.  But he found that he had his old noble, human form again.  He realized that the curse that he had, the cursed that had given him enough God-power to break Hades’ globe and unleash all of Hades’ evil magic, was now gone.  This brought Philoctetes great joy.

             
After all this was complete, Hercules ordered Milo to release Hades from his grasp.  After this Hercules approached Hades.  Hades was now altogether too weak to fight against Hercules and so Hercules did not see him a threat.  “Congratulations Hercules, but you have only won the battle and not the war!  I will return with greater and more powerful armies to destroy all the people you love!”

             
Hercules did not feel like speaking anymore with Hades and said, “For all that you have done to me and my friends Hades, we should kill you, for we together, as a super-God, can do so,” said Hercules.  “But considering what you did to unite me with Meg, even with such evil intentions, we will not kill you.  But Hades, by the power vested in both Meg and I, together as a Super-God, we cast you out of this land from this moment forward, banishing you from Greece forever!”

             
Hades was angry but could not refuse them, for together they were a super-God and so he quickly retreated to his chariot and the flying horses flew him back into his dark underworld.

Chapter 20:
The Aftermath

             
It now becomes necessary to disclose what happened after the great battle was over.  After the war came to an end and Hades was defeated, but before the night came upon them, there was a funeral for Zeus and Hera.

             
Hercules carefully picked up the bodies of Zeus and Hera, and at the very top of the Acropolis, near the now in ruins Parthenon, he dug out a tomb and buried them.  All the great Gods were in attendance, as well as Meg, Philoctetes, Milo, and all those humans who remained.

The fune
ral of Zeus and Hera was not an elaborate funeral, nor was there a formal invitation.  Instead, it was a solemn assembly where all the people of Greece watched as Hercules carried the body of his father and mother up the hill and buried them.  No man could touch Zeus’ and Hera’s body except Hercules.
Apollo caused that a great light should shine down from the heavens on the grave of Zeus and Hera.

Hercul
es looked down upon the grave of his parents, fell to the earth and stared down at the ground.  “Father and Mother, the great Gods that I have never truly known!  May your rest be far greater than my own!”

The entire land of Greece mourned over the loss of Zeus and Hera, the two great
Gods.  However, the death of Zeus and Hera seemed to prove two things—one, that all the Gods they worshiped were human and could, in fact, through will of their own, give up their life, and second, that a great God or power, greater than all the Gods or powers they knew or worshiped, controlled the destiny of their world.  This was what Hercules always wanted the people to believe.  However, it was difficult yet again to come upon the body of his mother and father.  He had lost both his mortal and divine parents and to lose both was very difficult.

             
Hercules was then brought to remember the words offered told to him by Zeus when he went to Mount Olympus.  He remembered what his father had told him: “With one hurl of my lightning bolt I could have people bow down to me.  I could have everyone across the entire world, and not just Greece, worshiping and praising my name!  But that is not what being a God is about Hercules.  Being a God is about being much more.  It is about more than your mother and I.  Once you become a God Hercules, you will realize that everything is not about yourself, but about others.  Do you not see Hercules?  What we really care about, at least in relation to the mortal world, is that, at least in the end, good triumphs over evil.  That is what all of our workings in the world are for.”  Indeed, their death had been, to Hercules, a testament of these words.  Their works, and their sacrifice, had been so that good, in the end could conquer over evil.

Meg placed her arm on Hercules’ shoulder to comfort him.  She then said:
“What your parents did for you nobody can replicate and you must know that they are not eternally dead.  Nobody is eternally dead.”  Hercules appreciated these words and then, once he had paid his respects, he moved away from the grave.

             
Philoctetes then approached the grave and spoke these soothing words, “No longer will these great Gods dwell in the earth!  Pericles once said these wise words: ‘For heroes have the whole earth for their tomb; and in lands far from their own, where the column with its epitaph declares it, there is enshrined in every breast a record unwritten with no tablet to preserve it, except that of the heart.’  So let our hearts preserve with us the sacrifices of the great Gods.”

             
After these words were spoken all the mortals and Gods there departed to rest for the evening.  That night was a bitter-sweet night—a night spent morning the loss of all those dead and a night spent in rejoicing over their victory.  The setting of the sun on this day did not signify a dismal end, but a bright new beginning.

******

              It is now time to tell of what happened to Hades before the end.  You see, Hades returned to his underworld only to find that Hercules’ words were true—his underworld was no more.  The gate was in crumbles and his cave had caved in.  It was now nothing but a massive pile of boulders for miles on end.

            
 
When Hades arrived in his underworld he found it nearly empty.  The wraiths who were once his servants were now freed and had completely abandoned that place.  The fallen heroes that were under his dominion were all freed and left to start their own lives again, under the leadership of Philoctetes.  The only souls that were left in that place were the evil ones that lingered in Tartarus, the deepest depths of darkness.

             
There, in Tartarus, Hades was frightened as, behind him, appeared the three Fates.  “You cursed me!” yelled Hades.  “You could have helped me, but you didn’t!”  They didn’t say anything at first, and then turned away.  “Don’t walk away from me!”

             
Then one Fate looked back and spoke, if only for a moment: “You are no longer under the banner of Destiny, for that has already fallen over you!  Choose what you wish now for yourself, but you will forever live in this dark place!”

             
Then the three Fates disappeared in the distance.  “Come back you fools!” yelled Hades.  “You are wrong!”

             
Like a dark pool all these souls swam around through the air.  Hades looked down and then back at the staff he held in his hands.  It was powerless.  Now his staff was nothing more than a black stick.  His hands shook and he tossed his staff aside.  He gazed down into the depths of Tartarus and suddenly began to want it.

             
His only hope was to climb the rock cave until he arrived at the oculus to his throne room and enter in that way.  He searched for a long time and finally found the oculus.  He looked down but there was no throne room.  Instead, what he saw was a large dark room where the remainder of those souls in Tartarus dwelled that did not want to leave, but rather desired to linger in the darkness.

             
There he sang a sad song:

             
              “Oh, how has Hercules doomed me!

             
              Zeus and Hera died by my hand,

             
              But yet, they still defeated me…

             
              Their craftiness was more subtle than any beast of the field

             
              To outwit even me!

             
              The only place I may have true darkness

             
              is in this glorious pit, where hate and darkness still reigns supreme,

             
              Oh, how tempted I am to go here, to the dark depths where

             
              I will not need to rule, where I will forever be rid of my duty over                                           death, that terrible duty destiny gave to me!”

              After Hades said these words he let himself fall, fall down into the pit where, once he hit the ground, thousands upon thousands evil souls collided in on him.  Hades yelled and then, a few moments later, it was over.  The dark God and king of death, was dead.

******

              After the funeral Hercules sat up against a tree like he was used to, and there fell asleep.  When the morning came new life came to all of Greece.  Before the sun had completely risen Hercules was already up.  Philoctetes, now a handsome human, walked along with Hercules.  There they walked through the city and around it.  Hercules looked over the old battlefield and saw much death.  He walked among the battlefield and noticed the shattered swords and shields, and the desolation of buildings.

             
“We will rebuild it,” said Philoctetes.  “We will rebuild all of Athens and make all of Greece like it was in its great time!  It will take time, but I will remain here to see that it is done…I will remain here to see your work fulfilled.”

             
Hercules smiled.  “Oh Philoctetes!  You have already done that and more.”

             
Hercules then made his way up to the Acropolis, where he saw his parent’s tombs. He cried over their bodies one more time and then looked out over the city.

             
In the morning the people of the city who remained and did not return to their own city, were eager to begin rebuilding their city—Athens.  That day Hercules stared down at the city and pondered over this important decision.  Then Philoctetes approached him from behind.  “The entire land thanks you Hercules, for what you have done.  You have saved Greece, and in so doing, have done what your father and mother set out for you to do.”

“
I don’t understand something Philoctetes,” said Hercules.  “How was I able to endure Tartarus? The evil of that place should have devoured me, after all the place is a place that Hades said would devour both Gods and mortals.”

“The power of love and sacrifice combined to make Tartarus itself quiver and fear to
devour you,” said Philoctetes.  “You see, your parent’s sacrifice allowed you to become a Super-God again, for by the deep laws of the universe there are two ways a Super-God can be created.  One is by two great Gods giving up all of their God-power.  The second is by two Gods, whether or not they have any God-power, giving up their lives for that person.  Hades forgot this second way to become a Super-God and this was his grave mistake.  By being a Super-God Tartarus could not ever completely devour you.  But this is not what set you free from Tartarus.  What set you free from Tartarus was your love—the love between you and Meg that caused Tartarus itself to spit you out!”

“Now that my mission is complete I do not know what they would have me do,” said Hercules.

“I cannot tell you what you should do,” said Philoctetes.  “Only you may know that.”

Hercules spent a few moments deep in thought.  Then he said,
“Philoctetes, I know now that I must leave.  While this land no longer needs a hero it still needs a great leader.  Your place is here, to lead these people into a great future.”

             
After Hercules returned to the city there was a grand meal to celebrate and all the good Gods attended.  It was held in what used to be Pericles’ palace.  Hermes was the official greeter and welcomed people to the event.  Poseidon, Athena, Apollo, Aphrodite, and many other good Gods all sat and waited for Hercules and Meg to enter.

             
The main room of the palace was filled with several long tables and more food than they could possibly eat.  Hercules there saw all the Gods and mortals looking up at them.  Hercules and Meg sat at the end of the table and ate.  After they were finished eating, Poseidon moved forward, holding his grand trident, and said, “Hercules, your father and mother would be proud of what you have become! And you see all of us Gods; we followed your parents with absolute love and respect.”  The great Gods all smiled and approached them.  Then Poseidon spoke again:  “I see now that you are both true heroes, like the ones we loved and lost.  I don’t know about the rest of the Gods here, but I will follow you two just as I followed Zeus and Hera, for you are both filled with their love, righteousness, and power.”

             
All the other Gods spoke up and moved forward next to Poseidon.  “As will we!”

             
Poseidon then said, “Hercules, have you thought about our offer?  Are you to come with us?”

             
Meg stood up beside Hercules and was confused.  “What is he talking about Hercules?”

             
Hercules looked to Meg. “I will rule Mount Olympus, but I will not be ruling alone.  May Meg come with me?”

             
Athena stepped forward and said, “Meg may come, if she be bound to you?”

             
Hercules knew what these words meant and he immediately felt happy.

             
Suddenly Hercules watched as Aphrodite approached, followed by several other goddesses. Aphrodite came forth and bowed, “May the love of you two be strong forevermore!”  She then lifted up a ring and handed it to Hercules. “Hercules, we thank you and Meg for your great contributions! As a token of our appreciation I give to you this ring.” She suddenly pulled from behind her back a small white case, with gold embroidering. Hercules smiled and bowed as he took the ring. He then knelt before Meg and placed the ring on her finger.

             
Meg looked down. Before her was a shimmering white ring, with two laces of sparkling, diamond-like material.  Hercules smiled and looked up at Meg with all the love he had. “Meg, will you marry me?”

             
Meg smiled, as tears ran down her cheek. “I will!”

             
Their lips met and they wrapped their arms around each other.  All those in attendance cheered and declared, “Hercules and Meg, together the God of Olympus!”

             
Athena smiled as she stood next to Hercules and Meg and said: “So as the Goddess of Law I pronounce you husband and wife! May you together be the God of Olympus!”