Chapter: 9 The Hero of Thebes

The clamor of a knight's boots could be heard sounding against the halls of Cinderella's castle. "Your majesties," he panted. "Your majesties!"

Cinderella and Charming sat at their thrones. "What is it?" she asked.

"Invaders! Invaders on the eastern shores!"

Cinderella's eyes widened as she and her king ran for the castle walls. They looked out to see an army of armored skeletons marching on their castle. The Horned King loomed at the front of his legion and barked, "Crush them all!"

Charming hastened his hands to his sword. "Prepare for battle."

It was the middle of the night on the road to Thebes. Crickets chirped and cool winds pressed against Tomas and his companions. "Chilly," he shivered.

"Stop it, Elsa." joked Anna.

The queen rolled her eyes, "Are we anywhere near Thebes? Benjamin. You're an explorer. Do you have any knowledge of this area?"

"Just from books, your majesty. I feel as long as we stay on this path, we should reach Thebes by morning." Benji yawned.

"My feet are killing me," groaned Zi.

"Here, I'll give you a lift." Tomas swept Zi off of her feet, causing her to chuckle. Elsa tensed up at the sound of their happiness, but calmed herself.

"Who are we kidding?" grumbled Elsa. "We're lost." Suddenly, the band heard a rigorous galloping behind them, and turned to see a silhouetted horseman.

"Here's someone," said Anna before beginning to wave. "Hello! Excuse me! We're lost and were wondering if you could point us towards Thebes." The horseman didn't stop. "Sir?"

Tomas' eyes began to widen, "Anna..." The rider began to shapeshift into Durag, and his enchanted mace materialized in his hand. "Look out!" Tomas knocked Anna to the ground, barely evading the mace's slam. Durag dismounted and stood, surrounding the group. Zi launched an arrow into his heart, or at least where it should have been. Durag snapped it off and turned with his fish-like eyes. He swung his mace as Zi ducked around its chain. Tomas slashed across Durag's torso, bisecting him. The inky being simply reformed and smiled at Tomas. "Shit," was all Tomas could utter before being power-kicked several feet away.

"Tomas!" gasped Benjamin. "Hold on, lad!"

Durag was making his way towards Tomas when Zi and Benjamin charged at him. He turned with a flick of his wrist, severing the leathery appendage. His arm splatted on the ground and formed into five faceless minions. Zi readied her scimitar, and Benji his shortsword, as the two began chopping the foes to bits.

Anna ran to Tomas' aid and fell at his side. "Tomas?" she worried. "Wake up!" She turned to see Durag closing in. "Hurry!"

Elsa then blasted him with a beam of her magic. After several intense seconds, she managed to freeze him in an entire block of ice.

"Nice work, sis!"

"Just keep moving!" urged Elsa. "I'm not sure how long that'll hold him for." Elsa and Anna lifted Tomas to his feet just as Ben and Zi defeated the minions. Their gnarled up remnants inched their ways back to Durag, seeping through the newly formed cracks in his icy imprisonment. The block started shaking, as Durag regained his maximum, supernatural strength. With a mighty flail, the assassin blasted himself free and pursued once more.

Elsa handed Tomas off to Zi and turned to loose another ice beam. She did so, but Durag swerved away and lunged straight for her. Moments before impact, an unknown fist punched him back at least a hundred feet. Elsa looked up to see a mighty man donned in Grecian armor. His blue eyes were as bright as hers, except fixated on the foe before him.

"Woooo baby!" cheered a satyr from behind him. "Nice hit, kid!" A blue-maned, white pegasus whistled alongside the creature.

The hero gave a noble nod, "All in a days work. Meg, help these travelers to safety while I deal with this...thing."

"You heard Wonderboy. Up and at 'em!" A brunette came dashing from the hill. She helped Elsa to her feet as the others watched.

"But what about Wonderboy?" worried Anna.

"Hercules can handle himself," assured Meg. "And for the record...Only I get to call him Wonderboy."

"Excuse me," Anna rolled her eyes.

Hercules stared Durag down. When the assassin swung his mace, Hercules grabbed hold of its chain and lifted him into the air. A superhuman himself, Herc spun Durag in circles before rocketing him over the hills. His collusion echoed for miles and rattled the forests around them. "And stay out of Thebes!" shouted Hercules.

"It's alright," assured Meg. "You're all safe now." Tomas shook off his daze to find himself in front of the great city of Thebes. Its golden buildings shined overhead as his team was escorted through the bustling streets.

"Welcome to the Big Olive, kiddos." said the satyr. "I'm Phil."

"Nice to meet you, Phil." replied Tomas. "This is Zi, Elsa, Anna, and Benjamin." His snowgie squeaked on his shoulder. "Oh...and this is Lucky."

Phil stared at the tiny snowman. "What...is that?"

"More importantly," interrupted Benjamin. "What...are you?"

"A satyr."

"That's rather peculiar. I haven't read about your kind in books before."

"Yeah? Well feast your eyes, plump and pleasant."

"Plump and pleasant?" scoffed Benjamin. "You're certainly plump and UNpleasant!"

"Relax, Benji." comforted Zi. "It's just his way of dealing with height issues. It's a complex really."

"Complex?!" snapped Phil. "You trying to start something, lady?"

"Oh don't sweat it, Phil!" Hercules rigorously rubbed him on his horned head. "I'm Hercules," he waved. "You're not from around here, are you?"

"What gave it away?" joked Elsa with a flick of her ice powers.

"Well just be lucky," intoned Meg. "If it wasn't for our hero of Thebes, you might have been filleted by whatever that thing was."

Her words stopped Tomas and the others dead in their tracks. "Hero of Thebes?" They all blared in unison.

Tomas spoke up, "Hercules, is there a place we can talk in private?"

Hercules was confused by the turn of events. "Of course. Follow me to my villa."

Durag slowly pieced himself back together and cracked his leathery neck. A shadow loomed over him, and he turned to see Hades. "Don't tell me. Don't tell me. Tomas is now allied with Blunderboy." Durag remained silent and Hades glowered, "Right...you can't speak in your original form. So I'm going to assume its a yes. Look, we got one last shot to make things right before the Horned King wages war on my grey behind. We'll have to settle an old score together now, won't we?"