Massive update to the prologue since November 29 and a small update December 9

Chapter 1 Maze Of The Underworld

"What, where am I?"

I was standing on one of 12 pillars of light surrounded by infinite blackness.

"You are in the chamber of the Council Of Eight."

"Correction Heph, we are once again the Council Of Nine. Thank us."

"Why aren't you talking like that other god."

"That's because it takes to much energy."

"Forsooth, this manner of one speaking is tiresome."

"Okay you're hurting my head. What's the Council Of Nine?"

"**cough** **cough** Sorry but we don't have time to explain. Perhaps another time? For now we have an important issue to vote on. All in favor of leaving the matter of 'that task' we previously discussed up to the new member please raise your hands now."

Five people raised their hands.

"All opposed."

Three people raised their hands.

"Well newbie, you gonna vote?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well kid, you're on the council so you need to vote. So what'll it be, for, or opposed."

"To what."

"Leaving the matter of 'that task', stopping the destruction of the world at the hands of Cronus to you, the newbie, as a test, to see if you really are worthy of being a member of the council of Eight. I mean Council of Nine."

"Hell no."

"I'm guessing you're opposed then?"

"Yeah."

"That's five for, four opposed. Sorry Newbie, for what it's worth, we all believe in you."

"I don't."

"Shut it ya pessimist. Meeting adjourned."

One by one the other figures disappeared.

"Hey can you at least tell me what this council of nine is about. What about your name."

"Sorry but time's up."

And with that she was gone.

"Hey but you haven't told me how to leave."

So I just sat there in the blackness. A while later four figures in rainbow cloaks appeared.

"What are you doing here?"

"Yeah we reserved this time slot for The Meeting Of The Divine Bronies."

"You need to leave."

"Yeah about that..."

"You think we're awesome and want to join us?"

"Not quite. I would leave if I knew how."

"Turn around and close your eyes for ten seconds."

"Thanks."

"Feel free to join us some time. We spend about an hour talking about reruns of My Little Centaur. It's a-lot of fun you should really think about it."

"Okay I'll think about it."

I did as he said, when I opened my eyes I was in my bed. It was quiet so the lightning must have stopped while I was unconscious.

"YOU'RE AWAKE, THANK GOD!"

"Of course I'm awake can you quit yelling I have a headache."

"Alright I'll calm down."

"Who knew killing a god could give you a hangover."

"The fruit punch incident?"

"The fruit punch incident."

A few years ago our neighbor brought fruit punch to my dad's birthday. By the time he realized it was alcoholic, I had already drank a half gallon. Apparently I passed out and Dad forced Rain to carry me all the way to my room. I woke up with a horrible headache.

"It's strange, you healed overnight."

I sat up, got out of bed, walked over to the window, and took a look outside. Just then the island shook again.

"So I guess Zeus wasn't the cause of the shaking."

"Guess not."

The devastation was massive. Electric fires from the lightning had burned down several homes. Also the countless lightning strikes had ravaged the entire island. Many of the older buildings were shook to the ground by the recent earthquakes. Luckily no one was living in them at the time. The only building unscathed by all this was the temple that we called our home due to a barrier. My family had owned this temple for twelve generations. After Rain's parents were murdered four years ago, my grandfather invited her to live with us that was the same year my mother father and grandmother were killed, the year of the massacre. Everyone with the Emrys bloodline was killed, even the branch families. The only survivors of it were my grandfather and myself. Rain's parents were caught in the crossfire.

"It's kind of funny Rain."

"What is?"

"We both survive the massacre of our entire family and he gets himself killed by Zeus."

"Yeah a bit. Let's search through the rubble of abandoned homes for useful items."

"But those were other people's houses don't you think it's wrong."

"Look they left the stuff behind, and we need it to survive. You like you've healed enough, so let's hop to it. Don't make me use force"

When she threatened force, her word was law. Due to her bloodline she had who knows how many times normal human strength so when she did threatened to use force it a serious mater and she could back it up. So I did as she said without further delay.

Most of the houses were a complete wreck, some were just barely standing, and still others only had holes from where the lightning struck them. We gathered all the canned food, first aid kits, medications, and other items we could find, until dusk set in. Probably some time around 6:30, we opened a few cans, sat down for dinner.

"'Incendo'"

Using one of the fire spells grandfather taught me, I lit the brush we were using as kindling for our campfire.

"You know this was the first spell my grandfather taught me. I miss him."

"It's alright I'll do my best to help you get through it."

"Help him get through what."

"Your death of cour... WAIT WHAT!?"

My grandfather stepped out of the shadows.

"H-h-how is this possible? I saw you die."

""Oh you thought I died. I thought you abandoned me on the mountain to elope."

Rain's face turned bright red. She hit be sending me flying into the wall of one of the few buildings still standing knocking it down.

"Where the hell would you get that idea."

"It's what I would've done in your situation."

"Ow Rain that really hurt. Good thing I'm used to it or I'd be dead but why'd you hit me this time."

"N-no reason."

"NO REASON, YOU COULD HAVE KILLED ME! Again grandfather, how are you alive, I saw the life leave your eyes, and your soul leave your body."

"Oh that. That was just gas."

Rain picked up my grandfather by his shirt collar.

"Zeus may not have killed you, but I sure will. You can count on it."

"Hold on, ease up on the reins Rain. Hahahaha, get it, reins, Rain, reins, Rain."

My grandfather had an affinity for bad jokes. He would probably go on like this for hours, except rein slugged him in the gut with her superhuman strength an he was down for the count. After the fire burned out Rain threw my unconscious grandfather over her shoulder and headed back to the temple.

"Rain grandfather is kind of the only family I have left could you please be a liiiiittle more gentle with him?"

"He'll wake up... I think... He always says there are no coincidences so if he doesn't it was meant to be."

"Still, you didn't have to use aaallllll of your strength."

"This bastard made us think he was dead."

"So you try to kill him for real, and how does that make sense?"

When we arrived at the temple, she threw him across the room onto his bed, then we both went to our rooms, and laid down for the night. In the middle of breakfast the next morning We heard him wake up still laughing at his own joke. It startled me so much that I almost choked on my food.

"You were right he did wake up."

"Yeah too bad."

Grandpa came out of the bedroom grumbling.

"Don't you think that was a bit of an overreaction."

"Not really." "Maybe." Rain and I said simultaneously.

"In all seriousness while I was on the mountain I wasn't doing nothing. While I was on the mountain I discovered the cave entrance to the Necropolis Shrine has been unsealed."

"Necropolis Shrine, what's that?"

"About 8 generations ago a tribe of people who worshiped the dead lived in a network of tunnels running deep through Little Olympus. They guarded a seal the three pointed star. No one knows why but the entire tribe save for a single shrine maiden committed suicide. It had always been a city for the dead, and so it became a City Of The Dead, a Necropolis. The shrine to the three pointed star at the center hence the name Necropolis shrine. With no one else left to guard the shrine the only surviver sealed herself inside the cave entrance then used all her life energy to erect a magical barrier so powerful not even I could break it."

I then realized something.

"If even you couldn't break it, than who did."

"More like what than who. No mere sorcerer could accomplish this feat."

"So what did it then."

"I don't know. But that's beside the point, we should go up and take a look inside."

"You have a point. If they were guarding something we should probably check on it."

I was starting to think this had something to do with that rigged vote the council of eight I mean nine had. Something about me saving the world.

"We'll go after breakfast."

Grandfather sat down and we finished breakfast after which we all grabbed our things and headed out.

"Hey Rain, race you to the top."

"You're on."

"If I win you have to give me half of your lunch."

"If I win you have to feed me half of your lunch."

"High stakes, there's no way you'll beat me."

"I beg to differ."

"I beg to your differ."

"What does that even mean? Let's just race."

"Agreed. I am the fastest, faster than man, faster than god, no speed can match my own."

We got to our starting points. Just then Grandpa caught up.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"Do what?"

But it was too late unwittingly spoke spell the words that had popped into my heed and I had already started to move. As soon as my feet left the ground I shot off like a bullet. Speeding out of control I plowed right through the rubble of the three buildings we were going to use at obstacles in the race then when I was almost at the top of the mountain I tried to slow myself down and tripped. The face-plant that followed must have been of epic proportions because the next thing I remember is waking up inside a person shaped hole two feet deep, surrounded by a crater about five feet deep, with around a twelve foot radius, and my with grandfather checking my pulse.

"HE'S ALIVE... AND AWAKE."

"GOOD, TELL HIM I WON."

Rain was standing 50 feet away at the top of Little Olympus with a triumphant look on her face.

"Hey grandfather the barrier must be gone because I think I made a back door."

"That makes things easier. because I stumbled on the front door by accident, and don't quite remember where it is. Now we don't have to search."

"**sigh** You were going to bring us up here even thoughh you didn't remember where the entrance was?"

"We would have found it eventually."

It took 20 minutes, but we, with rain's help of course, managed to make the peephole into a person shaped back entrance. When we entered the cave it was too dark to see.

"'Archynnau'"

Archynnau is a simple incantation, but hard to master. It's the fifth strongest form of fire based illumination magic using a single word incantation. We began to explore. There were homes built into the tunnel walls, some were caved in. I assumed this was because of the shaking.

As we delved further into the cave we started to hear the sound of water dripping which was weird because there wasn't any water above us and it hardly ever rained. The deeper we went the louder the sound got. When we finally reached the source, I was amazed.

The cave opened up into a perfectly round room with a pool of water in the middle that looked infinitely deep at the center was an elevated dome with a walkway and stairs leading up to it there were four waterfalls moving in reverse and the ceiling was coated with the water flowing up to then dripping down around the dome. The water was a bright silvery color that the water itself was giving off enough light to illuminate the entire room. The light that shown on the walls seemed to dance just like a campfire, it was beautiful.

"That explains the dripping sound."

"You're right, but is that all you can say."

"I'm too awestruck to say anything else."

"Let's check inside the dome."

"Good idea Rain."

"Don't touch any of the water droplets here alright you two."

"Why not."

Grandfather took a can of String-Beans out of his bag and tossed it into the falling droplets, it caught on fire and disintegrated though the reflection remained in the water for quite a while. Floating around until it seemed to be swallowed up by the depths.

"That's why."

"You always did hate String-Beans didn't you Grandfather. Disposing of those must have been a relief."

"Yup."

"That's alright I brought more."

"Good thinking rain."

We all entered the dome. Surprisingly the dome's ceiling looked like the night sky. In the center of the dome was a pedestal. We gathered around the pedestal, and examined it. There was a hole carved into the stone it was a triangle but the edges were curved in, there was a second triangle half the size of the first in the center with a rotation offset of 60 degrees.

"The three pointed star is missing."

"But Grandfather it's got six points."

"True but the other three are to make it look like it twinkles."

"Okay, so the three pointed star with six points is missing. Whada-we-do?"

"Let's have lunch and come back to it later, I'm getting hungry."

"Already on it guys."

While we were being idiots Rain had used some of grandfathers magic and was cooking the food.

"Nonsense Rain you know I'm the better cook."

"Yeah but if I let you cook the String-Beans would be left out."

"True enough."

when the food was ready she dished it out. Then I remembered the bet, I knew she did too but I was hoping she didn't remember. I waited for them to finish then ate half of what was on my plate placed it on the ground in front of her then bowed.

"So you remembered the bet after all, but did you remember the other half?"

"Damn it."

"I think that means yes. Well, hop to it."

"But you only won because of that strange power I accidentally used."

"Doesn't matter, a win is a win, remember."

"Fine."

I decided to do as she said. I picked up the fork and stabbed some of the unknown meat.

"Yuck."

"Sorry about that. I didn't mean to get it up your nose, I'm really bad at this."

"Sure you are. You know you're a sore loser."

"Well you're a sore winner."

"Fine I'll feed myself. I was kind of looking forward to you feeding me."

"That's enough you two. You take a closer look at the pedestal while Rain and I pack up."

"Okay"

I went back inside the dome and took another look around.

"No matter how many times I look at it it doesn't make any more sense."

"I saw who took it."

A little girl's voice came out of thin air. I looked around, no one was there. the sounds of the water droplets stopped for a moment, and suddenly a girl of about seven years in age was standing there. A strange new feeling welled up inside me. My body was being energized and filled with power, there was also a sense of apprehension and alertness. Like that of a wild animal sensing a predator no more like that of a predator sensing another predator. I instinctively said.

"You're not human are you?"

"teehee, of course not silly I'm a [Heretic God]."

"What do you mean, you saw who took it."

"Exactly what I said young one, I saw the thief, well, thieves who took it."

"Do you mind telling me the whole story."

"Not at all child. Three thieves broke in and stole the treasure splitting it by their number and hiding the pieces. One is in the rubble of the Colosseum, another at the bottom of the ocean, and the other is buried in the deepest depths of the earth."

"Okay so why is this place so important."

"WHAT ARE YOU, STUPID? This is The Phlegethon the river of fire. If the three pointed star isn't returned here soon it's flow will reverse."

"How do I know if I can trust you."

"You don't, heehee. You'll just have to see little one. Goodbye kid teeheehee."

The sound of the droplets were quieted for a second time but only for an instant and she was gone. The energy that had been flowing through my body was capped off the sense of apprehension evaporated and my senses returned to normal once again.

"Did you two catch that?"

"Most of it, whew that was a tense situation. You never know what goes on in the mind of a god. She could have decided to kill us all."

"Let's go home and tomorrow we'll work out a plan."

"Sounds good I'm tired."

"Me too, I'm an old man you know."

We made our way back to the makeshift entrence.

"Alright... tomorrow... we make... a plan... to search, for the three parts, of the three pointed star, with six points."

As I took one last look at the crater with the person shaped back door in it I thought, I am so glad I cant remember that.

END CHAPTER