DISCLAIMER: I want to own Ares. Dean O'Gorman can come home with me. Stormy had better wake up. *sigh* I don't own anything. How depressing. *sob*
* * *
Iolaus waded his way through the dense underbrush, carefully avoiding the branches that swung in his way. He mumbled a curse under his breath as he studied the ground beneath the moonlight, his keen senses and highly trained eyes picking out the signs of passage from his friend.
" I could be home in my bed," he groused. But his words didn't match the concern in his eyes. He'd been tracking his headstrong friend for a while now, and was a bit concerned that he hadn't found him yet. Even if Iolaus hadn't been the best tracker at the Academy, Hercules had left a trail a blind man could follow. He tread softly along the path, his careful movements silent as the night itself as he paused, considered some snapped-off branches and chuckled to himself. " Real subtle, big guy."
Still, for all his levity, Iolaus was truly worried about Hercules. The young blond knew that Hercules tended to cut himself off from everyone when he was hurt or troubled. `Don't want to worry anyone', were his words. Iolaus tossed his hair back as he continued. Every hunter knew that a wounded animal was dangerous. A cornered, wounded animal even more so. Iolaus debated how to approach Hercules when he found him.
" A wrong move and he could just backhand me to Olympus!" But Iolaus doubted Hercules would seriously hurt him. _I actually wish he would. Good way to let it out of your system_. Then he thought about it. _And put me in the infirmary. Okay, hurt something else!_ But no, it was more likely Hercules would shore up his defenses and tell him he was fine. Iolaus snorted. _Yeah right_. He gingerly picked his way past a thornbush and was about to push through the hedges in front of him when he heard a scream.
" Hercules!" Iolaus parted the bushes and peered through, stopping short as Hercules struck a boulder next to him with such force, it shattered and settled to the earth in a powdery gravel form. Now THAT was power. " Yikes." _Now what to do_? He decided to go for it and opened his mouth to call out to his friend, quietly so's not to startle him. Before his mouth could form the words though, an invisible force slapped over his mouth, cutting off all sound. He couldn't even grunt and he struck out with his arms and legs, trying to rattle the underbrush to alert his friend. But his limbs refused to obey him and he was slowly lifted into the air. Eyes wide and scared, he tried to move his head to see who had captured him, and was taken by surprise when a sickly pale face appeared directly in his. Iolaus would have gasped if he were able.
_Strife_! He should have known. The weird little god laughed at him, a sound akin to one's sharpening of the nails on slate stone.
" Look, Discord, it's little Iolaus!" He giggled insanely as the sultry Discord materialized next to Strife. She gazed at him, one lip turned up in an evil half-smile.
" Now, you weren't thinking of spoiling the party now, were you?" she purred, carressing the side of his face. Iolaus flinched at her touch, and his eyes shot daggers at her. She laughed. " Oh relax blondie - we're not gonna hurt you."
Iolaus eye's must have carried his disbelief, because Strife jumped in, nodding his head excitedly.
" Yeah, we're not allowed to any more." Strife motioned Iolaus forward and the invisible force carrying him, brought him closer to the thicket. Strife then pointed. " See?"
Iolaus looked. Hercules was standing, arms at the ready, a tall man dressed in black leather standing before him. _Ares_! He shouted within his mind, and he strained against his invisible bonds. His corded muscles tensed and he flexed, wiggling slightly, trying to break free. Finally, he slumped a little, worn out. Strife let out yet another giggle.
" Oh, knock it off - you honestly think you're going to get free?" He snorted. " Puh-leaze!"
" And besides," Discord chimed in. " If you did, you'd miss out on what's going on. You'll be happy to know that we won't be pestering the Academy anymore." As Strife had done, she pointed at Hercules. " We'll be picking on HIM!"
Suddenly, Iolaus could now hear the conversation going on between god and demi-god.
" How do I know you'll keep your word not to harm the Academy?" he heard Hercules ask in a defeated tone. Iolaus watched as Ares lit up the sky at that, and he strained to hear the answer. Amidst all the crackling thunder, Iolaus could barely make out Ares telling Hercules to become his prisoner. The winds swept through the clearing and tousled his hair, whipping in his face. Iolaus blinked furiously, trying to see through the mailstrom. _Prisoner? The Academy for Herc_? His eyes widened as his mind filled in the blanks. _No_! He watched as Hercules seemed to resign himself and reach out his hand. Strife and Discord cast significant looks at one another before releasing their hold on the blond hunter. As they vanished, Iolaus dropped to the ground and rolled to his feet, swaying slightly as he regained his equillibrium. Then he burst through the hedges in a panic.
" No! Hercules, don't!" he screamed, ignoring the scratches the thorns from the brush left on his arms. The winds pushed him back as he tried to reach his friend and he looked up, catching Hercule's eye. He gasped at the pain and sorrow in his friend's face, the guilt that was so evident. And as he watched, he saw Hercules mouth form an apology before vanishing. The winds died down and the night sky cleared as all traces of his friend were erased, Ares evil laughter left echoing on his ears. He fell to the ground disoriented, terror streaking across his face.
" HERCULES!"
* * *
" There was nothing you could have done," said Cheiron as he bandaged another scratch. Iolaus winced at the ointment's painful sting but said nothing. Cheiron studied his student carefully. When Iolaus had stumbled through the Academy gates without Hercules, Cheiron had assumed that the demi-god had brushed off all of Iolaus's attempts to talk. Upon seeing the scratches though, he knew something had happened and had gotten Iolaus to confess. He continued. " Hercules felt he knew what was best for the Academy."
" So you think he did the right thing?!" Iolaus asked in disbelief. " Ouch!"
" No. But he obviously felt that he did," Cheiron said dabbing another cut. " He believes that it is his fault that the gods continue to plague the Academy. And it is inherent in Hercule's nature to help others."
" So he decided to make a trade." Iolaus fell silent for a moment, thinking. _You big dope_, he seethed. _Why did you trade away your freedom_? Then a thought struck him.
" But it's okay, right? I mean, Ares can't do anything to him, can he? Not while Herc has Zeus's protection!"
" Maybe," Cheiron allowed. But the centaur knew that Ares wouldn't have offered such a trade unless he knew it would benefit him in some way. He didn't want to burst the little bubble of joy Iolaus felt in thinking his friend was safe from harm. Then he saw Iolaus's face darken. " What is wrong?"
" He may not kill Herc," Iolaus said quietly. " But you'd be surprised what you can live through." He fingered an old scar near his ribs as he spoke. Cheiron's eyes widened, and he felt a faint stirring of alarm.
" I hadn't looked at the situation that way," he admitted. " But regardless, there's very little we can do. I cannot in good conscience send my cadets after a god, and I doubt Ares would be willing to listen to reason."
" There's got to be a way," Iolaus insisted, mind racing over possible scenarios. Cheiron smiled sadly at him and left to put the medical equipment away and to tend to the other students still in the infirmary.
Time passed, and still Iolaus was no closer to a solution then before. Jason tried to convince the young hunter to come to the dining hall for dinner, and at his words, Iolaus's eyes lit up.
" That's it!" he breathed. Jason cocked his head at him.
" Huh?"
" I'll explain later!" Iolaus flashed out of the room before Jason could say another word.
" Weird," the Crown Prince muttered, but as his eyes fell on Hercules's empty bunk, he looked back to where Iolaus had left. " But I hope it works, Iolaus. Bring our friend home."
* * *
Hercules stumbled as he rematerialized inside Ares temple on Mount Olympus. With a snort of laughter the God of War planted a boot into his back and sent him reeling. Hercules winced and turned around, warily picking himself off the ground. He didn't like the look he saw in Ares eyes. Momentarily, he thought of Iolaus with a pang of regret - too bad he couldn't have explained. But he had `sealed the deal' as it were and it was too late now.
" So now what?" he challenged. Ares eyes narrowed and a sinister smile crept over his face.
" Now, my dear brother - the fun begins." As he spoke, four strips of metal floated into the air. Hercules barely had time to recognize them as restraints forged by Hephaestus before they locked around his wrists, flinging him up against the temple wall. The back of his head struck the stone and he blacked out. Ares shook his head.
" Oh no, little brother, you don't get out of it THAT easily!" A wave of his hand and a bucket of ice water splashed over the demi-god, snapping him awake with a cry. Ares smiled at the sound. " I want you awake." He strode over and slammed his fist into Hercules's stomach. Hercules tried to double over but the chains kept him in place and he could only gasp in pain. Cracked ribs for sure. Ares cracked his knuckles.
" This is gonna be sweet."
* * *
Iolaus raced throught the woods as fast as he could go, dodging tree limbs and uprooted stumps sure-footedly. Ahead of him, he could see Kora's Tavern and he pushed himself to go faster. _Every minute Herc is stuck with that madman, is another minute of trouble_! Kora's place drew closer and he smiled slightly at the reason why he was headed there.
Mentally he thanked Hercules for telling him of his last little adventure in Corinth. Hercules had gone to compete in an archery contest and had been beaten by a red-clad warrior. As it turned out, the red warrior was none other then Kora, who needed the prize, the Bow of Artemis, to return to her patron goddess in exchange for her freedom from Artemis's service. Unfortunately, after gaining her freedom, Strife and his boys attacked Hercules who had followed Kora to help her, and Kora ended up back in the service of Artemis so she could save Herc's life. Iolaus shook his head. Tough break. But if Kora was able to call on Artemis, maybe she could help him find a way to help Hercules. Reaching the double doors of the Tavern, Iolaus strode inside and marched straight up to the counter. Kora turned at the sound of his arrival, expecting a new customer. Seeing Iolaus, a half-smile graced her lips.
" What are you doing here? You don't work until tomorrow. And there's no overtime!" she added as an afterthought. Iolaus shook his head.
" I need to talk to you Kora. Now. It's about Hercules."
Kora's eyes held a touch of concern. She called one of her waiters over and told him to take over the counter for her.
" And don't add the tips to the total!" she called out as she led Iolaus around back, where they could talk in privacy. Once Iolaus was in, she closed the door and settled herself on a nearby chair. " So what's up?"
" Are you still a servant of Artemis?" Iolaus came straight to the point. Kora leaped out of her chair, eyes flashing dangerously.
" How did you know that?? I thought Hercules said I could trust him!" she spat out, her anger masking her intense hurt over the fact that Hercules would break her confidence. Iolaus held up his hands.
" Whoa Kora - Herc only told me because we never know what information may come in handy in the future."
" You mean blackmail!" Kora snapped.
" I mean help!" Iolaus stood up and faced her, anger matching hers. " And it's a good thing he did, 'cause he needs help now!"
Kora swallowed her next outburst and crossed her arms, unwilling to forgive and forget. " What do you mean, he needs help? You guys are the ones in the Academy, training to become warriors! What do you want with me?"
" The Academy is part of the reason Herc's in trouble! Will you let me explain?!" Iolaus shouted at her, and Kora stepped back in surprise. Iolaus never yelled at her before. _Something IS wrong_, she realized, and she reached out with one hand, entreatingly.
" Okay, Iolaus, calm down. What do you want from me?"
Iolaus sat back, slightly mollified. " I need to contact Artemis."
" Why?"
" Can you do it?"
" Not without a good reason, Iolaus! She doesn't just come on command you know!" Kora threw up her hands in frustration. Iolaus nodded resignedly.
" You heard about the attack on the Academy the other day?"
" Yeah," Kora said searching her memory. " A cadet, I think, came by and mentioned something about Strife."
" That's it," said Iolaus. " Well, Herc blamed himself - AGAIN - and he made a deal with Ares."
" Ares?" Kora asked, shocked.
" Yeah. Ares agreed that he, Strife, and Discord will leave the Academy alone as long as Herc becomes their prisoner. Willingly."
" And Hercules agreed to that?"
" You know the big guy," Iolaus sighed. " That self-sacrificing act has really gotta go."
Kora thought for a moment, debating whether or not she really wanted to go more into debt with the Goddess of the Hunt. As a follower of Artemis, she was limited in her relationships and at the beck and call of her goddess. Asking Artemis for favours generally resulted in her owing big. Iolaus saw her hesitating.
" Come on Kora!" he pleaded. " We can't just let Ares kill Herc!"
_Maybe she'll be lenient when she finds out it's for her brother_, Kora thought resignedly, smothering a sigh. She turned aside and raised her arms.
" Artemis! Kora, your faithful servant, needs your help!" she said in a loud clear voice. Iolaus glanced around anxiously.
" Where is she?" he muttered. A silvery laugh answered him and he whirled about to see a beautiful woman in Amazon clothing standing before them. Her long hair swirled down around her waist. Trim and toned muscles peeked out from the daringly cut tunic that emphasized freedom of movement. Flashing silver eyes bored into him, until Iolaus felt she could see into the depths of his very soul. He swallowed nervously.
" Um, hey. You must be Artemis," he said weakly. Kora stifled a groan, and Artemis smiled bemusedly.
" And you are Iolaus, my golden hunter!" she said, casually flicking a strand of hair away from his face. Iolaus nodded. " And why do you call on me?" She leaned forwards. " I do not make it a habit to appear on command."
Iolaus glanced at Kora, noting the similar speech, and then shrugged, dismissing it. " I need your help. It's about your brother, Hercules."
" Half-brother," Artemis said, but she waved him on.
Iolaus explained the situation, starting with the funk the demi-god had been in, going on to describe the attack by Strife and Discord, and finished up with the deal Hercules had made Ares to protect the Academy. Artemis listened silently throughout the long-winded explanation, her dark eyes narrowing at the mention of her brother Ares.
" Ares will seek to destroy Hercules," she predicted ominously. Iolaus rolled his eyes.
" I KNOW that," he said waspishly. Kora raised her eyebrows in alarm at his tone of voice but Iolaus was sick and tired of waiting around, and having Artemis voice what he already knew wasn't helping. " How can I get him out of there? And keep the Academy safe?"
Artemis smiled inwardly. Deep in her immortal heart, she had a fondness for her half-mortal brother, and subsequently, his friend Iolaus. Her golden hunter. She had seen a glimpse of their future, destined to become the greatest hero's of Greece, their lives so intertwined that not even death would part them for long. She allowed a part of her fondness seep into her expression and both Kora and Iolaus relaxed a bit.
" If you perform a service of great importance to me, I will grant you passage to Ares sacred temple at the base of Mount Olympus where you will find your friend. And if you serve me well, I shall place my protection on the Academy, so that none may be killed by another god." she said gently.
" Kinda like Herc's deal with Zeus. And we all know how well that works!" Kora exclaimed. Artemis shook her head.
" Gods may still try and destroy your school - Hercules's dealings with Ares are proof enough of that. But at least, none shall be killed so long as I am there to protect it."
Iolaus nodded; that was what he needed to hear. " I'm guessing you already have my task in mind?"
Artemis laughed. " I do indeed." A wave of her hand and an image of a beautiful golden eagle appeared before them. Golden feathers glinted in the sunlight, cresting off it's bronzed head. It was large, larger then any bird Iolaus had ever seen before, with a wing span of nearly ten feet. White encircled its slender throat and the whole creature was of exquisite proportion. It was the most beautiful sight either the young cadet or the tavern owner had ever seen.
" Wow," Iolaus breathed. Artemis nodded.
" That is my pride and joy. His name is Kalik." Her smile vanished. " Apollo has hidden him away from my realm of the forest, and I am unable to return him to the wild."
" Let me guess," Iolaus said sarcastically. " You want me to take on Apollo and get your bird back."
" In a matter of speaking, yes." Artemis motioned for Kora to step forward. " You, Kora, with the power of the Huntress, will be Iolaus's guide. You will help him in this mission. In exchange," the goddess smiled at her follower. "...I will release you from your vows to me."
Kora was filled with disbelief. Her freedom? No more serving the will of Artemis? To be her own person, to love, like she had once told Hercules she'd like to experience with someone, someday?
" When do we start?"
* * *
To the general observer, Ares temple was both awe-inspiring, and intimidating. The sheer size of it against the Mount Olympus backdrop, caught hold of your attention and refused to let go. Tall pillars of dark, polished marble, spiraled and twisted their way up to the roof of the front pavillion-style entrance, and were surrounded by intricately carved statues of past warlords and evil creatures. The massive doors were of solid oak, as ornately designed as the columns. Two razor-sharp broadswords were bolted to the door, crossed as though in battle, and a sentry stood on either side, war-worn faces solemn and loyal in their duties. Inside the doors was the main room, where Ares priests made their offerings to the God of War. Ares likeness was displayed in the many icons and statues decorating the room. On the far wall, behind the stone altar, a life-size fresco depicted Ares in one of his moments of glory on the battlefield, his warlords triumphant behind him, the dead carcass's of their enemies at his feet. The disciples of Ares tended to his temple, and arranged the tributes paid by his followers. Simple tasks, but ones they performed unnerringly, else they would pay the price.
A door slammed shut, and they all jerked their heads up in fright. The head priest entered the room and they all breathed a soft sigh of relief before returning to their work. Sparing them all a glance, the priest made his way to the altar and repeated his vows to the God of War, desperately trying to ignore the screams of pain coming from the dungeon below the temple.
* * *
Hercules was in Tartarus. Blinking the sweat out of his eyes, he gasped for breath, each inhalation drawing a whimper of pain from him as his broken ribs protested the movement. The iron restraints cut into his wrists and ribbons of blood streamed down his torso. His whole body ached, ached in places he didn't even know existed. But he lifted his head up and stared across the room, and in defiance he spat at his tormentors. " I-is...that..the..b-best you c...can do?" he gasped painfully, struggling to breath normally. Discord burst into a high-pitched giggle of laughter, while next to her, Strife glared at Hercules as he used an old cloth to wipe the saliva from his tunic. " You'll pay for that, little man," Strife hissed and launched another energy ball. The lightning and energy coursed through Hercules's body and he screamed in agony, his every nerve and synapse on fire. His voice cut out and he trembled violently, the hair on his arms crackling with a blue-violet energy. Finally, the barrage ceased and he sagged back against the wall, only the metal cuffs keeping him up. His head bowed, and his eyes closed, Hercules conjured up an image of the Academy. In his mind, he saw the cadets safe from harm, and that knowledge gave him back a bit of his spirit. He raised his eyes to Strife and waited to see what the godling would do. Discord could read the fear in his eyes, and she smiled sweetly at him.
" Oh don't worry, Hercules, " she purred languidly. " It's my turn now." Sauntering up to the demi-god, she gently caressed his face before reaching back and delivering a stinging slap. Hercules's head jerked to the side and he could taste the coppery tang of blood in his mouth. He saw the goddess through a hazy fog, and saw her pick up a long, slim object. His eyes widened and he whimpered in fear. Discord turned back to face him, trailing the whip through her fingers. She snapped it once, against the hard stone of the ground, listening to the crack it made. " And I like to play!" Hercules closed his eyes and waited for the leather to cut into his skin. He wasn't disappointed.
* * *
Ares materialized inside his temple, fresh from a war and in generally good spirits. The sounds and sights of war did wonders for his moral. Walking up to his altar, he noticed the new offerings and plucked a grape from the cluster, popping it into his mouth as he motioned for his priest to step forward. " How do things fare at my temple?" he asked. The priest swallowed nervously as he knelt before his god and said, " Business as usual, Ares. But..uh.." As the priest trailed off, Ares gave a sigh of impatience and gestured for him to continue.
" ...uh, some of your followers have been wondering about the noise coming from the dungeon. While you were gone, there was a lot of noise coming from it. But-" the priest hastily added. "-none of us dared enter your private inner sanctum my lord."
" Very wise," Ares said, smiling evilly. " I'd hate to have to kill you. As it is, your curiosity is not helping to increase your life span." The priest turned white. " Still," Ares continued. " You serve me well, and I forgive you your nosiness - this time." He stretched, and turned to go down to the dungeon. Suddenly he turned back. " What kinds of noises?"
" I believe we heard your nephew, the god Strife, and your sister, the goddess Discord," stuttered the priest. Ares scowled and vanished, leaving the priest to sink to his knees in relief. He appeared in his custom-made torture room and took in the scene. Strife lounged nearby on a pile of his best satin cushions. His eyes narrowed even further as he saw the god's mud-clad boots propped up on his chair. He then turned and took in the laughing Discord as she brandished her favourite whip in one hand. Finally, he saw his half-brother Hercules, dangling from the metal cuffs, unconscious and bathed in blood. Strife and Discord saw Ares and the laughter cut off immediately. Ares stepped forward and blasted Strife.
" You got mud on my cushions!" he snarled. Turning to Discord, he watched her shrink back a bit in fear and he smiled as he gestured to Hercules. " Having fun?"
" Mmmm-hmm!" she murmered as she stroked the leather whip. " The best kind."
Ares walked up to where his brother was strung up, and studied the fruits of her labours. Hercules beathed shallowly, and he was as pale as a ghost. Deep slashes cut into his skin, courtesy of Discord's whip and blood ran in rivulets down his body, dripping off the lax fingers, pooling beneath his feet. Dark bruises dotted his skin and there was a faint stench of burnt flesh lingering in the air.
" Energy balls, Strife?" Ares asked the godling. " Isn't that a bit of overkill?"
" No," the god said righteously. " It's not ENOUGH kill."
" Have you forgotten something, my dim-witted little nephew?" Ares asked rhetorically. Eyes blazing, he leaned in close. " You can't kill him!" He glanced back Hercules, and he felt a very faint twinge at the destruction the two lesser gods had wroght. Then he shook himself, and banished it from his mind. It had just been a long day. " I'm going to go relax. Don't bother me."
" Don't you want to have your turn?" Discord asked, holding the whip out. Ares looked at the whip and then at his half-brother. Hercules slowly opened one eye and stared dazedly at him, pain and terror filling his face. That twinge gnawed at him again, and he turned away.
" Not right now. I've had a long war today." And he vanished. Then he reappeared. " And that's enough for you too. There'll be plenty of time to torture him tomorrow." And he was gone again. Strife pouted and Discord sighed as she hung the whip back up on the wall. Blowing Hercules a kiss, she disappeared in a flash of blue light, Strife right on her heels. Hercules head was fuzzy but he could have sworn Ares had shown him a hint of sympathy. _Can't be right_, he thought dizzily. And then the welcoming darkness that had lingered on the outer edge of his vision, embraced him and carried him away.
* * *
" Kora?" " Yes Iolaus?" " When we find Hercules..."
" Yeah?"
" Remind me to kick his butt for this!" Iolaus grumbled as he strained to reach a rocky outcropping above his head. Securing his hold on the rocks he pulled himself up and looked back to see if Kora needed assistance. The young tavern owner gave him a brief smile but shook her head, reaching for the ledge he had just vacated.
" I got it," she said, puffing slightly. Iolaus nodded and turned back, reaching up again. After talking with Artemis, she had transported them to the base of the Mount Evenet, upon whose peaks, Apollo had his primary temple. Iolaus remembered the dizzying way he had felt taken apart and reassembled into a thousand sparks of shimmering light. That was before, of course, he had fallen headfirst to the ground, unused to such a method of transportation. Kora, much to his chagrin (and embarrassment) and landed nimbly without suffering the same dizzying effects. Artemis had then vanished, leaving them to their mission. Iolaus felt the familiar annoyance creeping over him that always seemed to appear when Hercule's divine relatives showed up. Sucking in another breath of the rapidly thinning air, Iolaus grabbed another ledge, digging his fingers in hard.
" Would it have been so hard to put us on TOP of the cliff before she did her disappearing act?" he muttered. Below him, Kora giggled.
" She can't do that!" Kora admonished him. She stretched her leg to a ridge beside her to help keep her balance, looking for the next handhold, before continuing.
" First of all, it'd be too much interference on her part, and second: this is Apollo's HOME. Petitioners desperate enough to come here, have to make it on their own."
" Yeah, yeah," Iolaus said wryly, wincing as a particularly sharp stone cut into his palm. " Ouch!"
The two mountaineers continued their trek, helping each other over the rough spots before coming to a long ledge, about twice as long as Iolaus and and about as wide as he and Kora lying head to foot. Small rocks littered the surface and a few sparse patches of pale grass sprouted up in clumps here and there. Iolaus threw a look at Kora, about to suggest they press on when he saw the tiredness in her face. His own limbs, he realized, were shaking with fatigue too. Kora saw the indecisive look on his face.
" Iolaus? Let's camp here for the night," she said, dropping her pack on the ground. " We won't accomplish much if we're too tired when we reach the top."
Iolaus sighed, and reluctantly let his own pack slip out of his grasp. " You're right," he said slowly, before raising his eyes back to the cliffs peak. Kora lay a surprisingly gentle hand on his arm.
" He'll be all right," she insisted quietly. " Hercules can handle himself."
" I know," Iolaus agreed. _It's his relatives handling him that I'm worried about_. Tearing his eyes from the mountain top, he gave her a weary smile. " So what did you bring to eat?"
Listening to Kora squawk at him hinting that he'd only brought her along so that he could get a free meal from her, Iolaus felt a grin tugging at the corner of his lips. But before he turned to the repast Kora was laying out, he looked up at the night sky, with the bright lights of the stars dusted across the vast canopy of darkness. _Be careful Herc. We're coming_.
* * *