The New Beginning of Project KR

Chapter 10

Connor awoke to the sounds of a crackling fire and the smell of burning wood. He opened his eyes, shadows danced across a raftered ceiling made of pale white bones. Okay, Connor thought, either I've been eaten, or someone really needs to hire an interior decorator.

The young kryptonian looked down. He was covered in a blanket made of light brown fur. He shifted around. A crunch underneath him caused him to pause. He let his hands drift down to the mattress and gently pressed on it. He could feel twigs and leaves beneath the thin material. Wherever I am, Connor thought, the furniture and materials are definitely homemade.

"I see you're awake."

Connor jolted up, and his head spun in the direction of the voice.

A massive man eight foot tall with serpent like eyes and hair that look like seaweed set in a small chair before a stone fireplace. The fire light reflected off his humongous crimson skinned arms. He smiled at Connor revealing overly long fangs and two rows of needle pointed teeth.

A Minotaur pelt set atop his head and draped across his massive shoulders. A necklace of animal fangs rested against his muscular chest.

The Crimson man rose to his feet, causing Connor to tense. He wiped his hands on his pants, which seemed to be made of slick green animal skin and walked forward.

Connor cast his eyes around for his spear. He spotted it leaning against the far end of the cabin wall too far away for him to reach. Great, he thought, I'm about to be attacked by a giant, and I have no weapon to defend myself.

The boy of steel raised his hands and electricity danced in between his fingers. Connor knew he wouldn't be able to do anything with it, but it did cause the red giant to pause.

The massive man raised his hands in a pacifying gesture, "I'm not going to hurt you. I just want to check your wound," he gestured to Connor's chest.

The boy of steel looked down to see thick bandages wrapped around his chest, he glanced back at the red skinned man. If he wanted to hurt me, he could have done it while I was sleeping, Connor reasoned. He slowly lowered his hands and nodded.

The red giant slowly walked forward. He knelt down beside Conner's bed and slowly began to undo the bandages from his chest.

When the last of the bandages fell away, Connor looked down at his side. Where there had once been a large hole. There was now a thin scar barely visible in the dim light provided by the fireplace. He watched the massive giant tenderly touched the skin around the scar and was surprised to find that there was no pain.

The red giant looked up at Connor with a smile on his face.

Connor shuddered as he stared into those serpent yellow eyes. This guy may have saved me, he thought, but when he looks at me with those eyes. It makes me think he's going to eat me.

"Your wounds are healed," the red man said oblivious to Connor's thoughts.

Connor nodded, "Who are you?"

The red giant rose to his feet, turned, and walked back over to his chair. Once he was seated he spoke, "My name is Perseus."

Connor looked the red giant up-and-down, "Like the legendary Greek hero?"

Perseus's lips turned up in a small smile, "I am the legendary Greek hero."

Connor raised an eyebrow, "Funny, you don't look human."

Perseus flinched and looked away, "When Hades became imprisoned in the underworld. He destroyed the eternal resting place for heroes. Prolonged exposure to the underworld turned the greatest heroes of legend into mindless beast." He looked away, "I was one of the lucky ones. I managed to retain my mind after being transformed into this monster," he looked down at his giant red hands in disgust.

Connor shuddered. I hope that doesn't happen to me, he thought.

As if reading his thoughts Perseus said, "Don't worry. The underworld won't turn you into a monster since you're still alive, but prolonged exposure to it may kill you, and then your turn into a monster."

Note to self, Connor thought, get out of here as soon as possible.

Shaking his head, Connor threw off his blanket and hopped off the bed, "Well I appreciate you saving me Perseus," he said looking around for some clothes, "but I have to go save Queen Hippolyta."

Perseus frowned, "How can you save Queen Hippolyta when you're still burdened down by your own guilt?"

Connor froze. He glanced back at Perseus, who was sitting calmly in his chair staring at him with those piercing yellow eyes. He shuddered, "How did you know?"

Perseus tapped his large red nose, "In this form I can smell your guilt. It rolls off you. If you don't do something about it; when you leave here it will attract every monster and spirit in the underworld."

Connor sat down on the bed. That's the last thing I need in my weakened condition, he thought, burying his face in his hands.

After a few minutes, he looked up at Perseus with defeated eyes, "What can I do?"

Perseus rose from his chair, walked over to the fireplace, and took a wooden bowl off the mantle. He removed the lid from a large cauldron in the fireplace and dipped the bowl in the contents. He then walked over to Connor and offered him the bowl. "The first thing you can do is eat. You have to be hungry."

Connor stomach grumbled and he realized it'd been at least a day since he had eaten. He took the bowl and began sipping the contents. He had to stop himself from moaning as the delicious flavor bathed his tongue.

Perseus walked back over to his chair and sat down. He gave Marcus a few minutes to enjoy his meal then asked, "So, what has you so burdened with guilt?"

Connor froze with the bowl halfway to his mouth. He sighed and set the bowl down on the bed no longer hungry. Can I really trust this man? He asked himself. He shook his head. If you wanted to kill me he wouldn't have bothered healing me, the boy of steel decided.

Over the next hour, Connor told Perseus about the men he killed and the guilt he had been carrying ever since their deaths. Way to bear your heart out to a total stranger you pansy, he thought to himself when he finished.

"It sounds like to me you didn't have much of a choice," Perseus began, "those men attacked you and killed a lot of innocent people, by those actions they deserved to die."

Connor shook his head, "I don't have the right to play judge, jury, and executioner, besides John Corbett didn't kill anyone."

Perseus scowled, "He was part of the same organization as those men that fired those missiles, right?"

"Yes, but…"

"No buts kid, that man was just as guilty as the pilots that fired those missiles."

He shook his head, "You're still young so you have not seen the true horrors of battle yet, but as you grow older you will realize that the world isn't black and white. Some people just can't be reasoned with."

"So what?" Connor asked, scowling, "I'll eventually get to the point where I feel nothing or even enjoy killing."

Perseus's face darkened, "No if you ever get to that point kill yourself, for you will have become nothing but a monster."

Connor looked down. "So what do I do, how do I not feel the guilt for the people I killed?" He asked quietly.

Perseus rose to his feet, walked forward, and placed his hand on Connor shoulder.

Connor looked into Perseus is yellow eyes and for the first time he didn't feel fear. He saw calm understanding within those yellow orbs. The old warrior knew what kind of struggle he was going through. He may have even been there himself.

"What you have to realize is the people who choose to become heroes. Are the people who want to defend others. They have to make the hard choices, so the people that can't protect themselves don't have to. We may kill the occasional bad guy, but it is to keep the rest of the world safe. We will carry the guilt of that action forever. However we do so, so the people that we love and other innocents can sleep safe at night."

Perseus tightened his grip on Connor shoulder, "The question you have to ask yourself is. Do you want to follow the hero's path?"

Connor thought about it. Do I really want to follow the hero's path? He asked himself. His gaze hardened. I can't just do nothing when innocent people are getting hurt. Especially when I have the power to help,

Perseus smiled as he saw the determination appear in Connor's eyes, "I think you're ready to rescue Queen Hippolyta."

Connor flashed Perseus a thin smile, "I think I am," he looked down at his half naked frame, "but I think I need some armor."

Perseus patted him on the shoulder, leave that to me, he turned and walked over to a small door at the other end of the cabin. He opened it and went through.

Connor picked up his bowl of food. He put the bowl to his lips and sipped the contents. It had gone cold, but was still delicious.

After finishing his meal, Connor rose to his feet, took a few quick steps to the fireplace, and set the bowl down on the mantle. He then spun on his heel to get a better look at the cabin. He winced slightly as he felt a pulling sensation at his newly healed wound.

What I wouldn't give for some sunlight, he thought to himself. Shaking his head the young kryptonian gazed around the cabin. Bundles of bone in a netted material hung from the rafters. A roughly carved table with two equally rough looking chairs sat in the center of the room.

A bed sat under the only window, covered in a quilt made from a variety of different animal skins. The most notable was the skin of a lion that he felt when he woke up.

Walking over to the window, Connor looked out at the underworld. He smiled when he saw his destination was closer than it was when he fell unconscious. The cliff that led out of the underworld was just a few hundred yards away now. All he would have to do was climb up.

His lips turned down slightly and he flexed his hand. I just hope I have enough strength to deal with Hades after climbing out of this pit of torture, he thought.

The sound of a door opening, caused Connor to turn.

Perseus reentered the room the horns on his Minotaur pelt scraping the frame of the door as he did.

Connor moved back over to the bed and sat down.

Perseus stopped before him and offered the young kryptonian a large brown package.

"What's this?"

"Something to help you on your journey."

Connor took the package and weighed it in his hands. It had a little bit of weight to it and he could feel something hard beneath the light brown animal skin it was wrapped in.

Cautiously, he pulled the dark green twine that held the package shut. The animal skin fell away to reveal a suit of armor.

Connor held up the gold chest plate. An inverted triangle set in the center of the chest plate, a silver S in its center. The silver etching glinted in the fire light.

Sitting the chest plate down, the young kryptonian removed a pair of Golden Shin guards, a pair of pointed golden boots, a matching pair of forearm guards and a pair of gloves. Copper chain mail sat nestled at the bottom of the package.

Connor looked up, "How did you make this?"

"I didn't. I collected the armor left behind by the Titans and took it to some Cyclops friends of mine. They made the armor. It's based off the armor from medieval England"

Connor set the Copper chain mail on the bed with the rest of the armor, "Why would you do this for me?"

Perseus's fist clenched and his eyes drifted to the floor, "I can feel myself changing, I can feel myself becoming more like the monster I am on the outside," he looked up at Connor with a hint of desperation in his eyes, "I want Hades to be defeated before I become a monster. I want to return to the land of heroes and be with my family."

Connor's lips thinned and his eyes narrowed ever so slightly, "So, you're using me?"

Perseus looked away, "I prefer to think of it as helping with your quest."

Connor nodded, "I can deal with that." After all, he thought, I would be dead if it weren't for him.

The boy of steel rose to his feet and began slipping on the armor. When he was finished Perseus nodded, "That should protect you a whole lot better than what you had on before."

Connor bowed his head to the legendary warrior, "Thank you for your assistance."

"No problem kid," Perseus responded. He held out a golden helm adorned with a silver inverted triangle with a silver S in the center.

When Connor slipped on the helm, he felt the armor go tight against his skin. He threw a few experimental punches. The armor allowed for easy movement and was lighter than he thought it would be.

He walked over and retrieved his spear. He placed it against his back and a silver chain appeared around the shaft and wrapped around his chest.

He then walked back over to Perseus and offered the crimson skinned legend his hand, "Thank you for saving me."

Perseus smiled and Connor shuddered as his needle pointed teeth glinted in the dim light. He grasped Connor's hand firmly and shook it, "No problem, that's what family does," he looked down, "I'm sorry I tried to use you."

Connor patted Perseus on his large shoulder, "It's all right. You help me work through my guilt over the people I killed, so I would call us even."

With a final squeeze of Perseus's shoulder, Connor turned and walked towards the door. He opened it and stepped out onto the black sands of Tartarus. He felt his lungs burn as they took in the air and coughed hard. Well, he thought, it looks like I'm going to have to get used to the air again. Shaking his head, he stepped off Perseus's porch and onto the black sand of Tartarus.

"Wait!"

Connor turned to see Perseus standing at the door with his hand raised to the sky. A skeletal pterodactyl dove down from the sky and stopped before him. The flap of its wings making it bob up and down before him.

The legendary warrior turned to Connor, "Hades, no doubt knows you're here since he sent the Titans to attack you, but he won't be watching the sky."

Connor gazed at the ancient predator suspiciously, "Is it safe?"

Perseus thrust out his large chest and planted his hands on his hips with a proud smile on his face, "Of course it safe, as one of Zeus's children I can control the creatures Of the sky."

"But you're dead, and it's dead. So, shouldn't all things dead fall under Hades control?"

"Hades has very limited control over what goes on in Tartarus. That's why I set up shop here. After some experimentation I learned that our power over the creatures of the air changed to the deceased creatures of the air when I died."

I wonder if I can control birds? Connor mused. Shaking his head he walked forward.

The ancient predator turned its elongated skeletal head, causing the young kryptonian to tense as he approached. The flames in its eye sockets shone brighter as Connor drew closer. It's beak blurred into action, snapping up and down impossibly fast.

Connor paused less than three feet from the creature and raised an eyebrow, "Are you sure you can control this thing?"

Perseus's eyes narrowed and he crossed his arms over his chest, "Of course I can control it, now get on you don't have all day."

Taking a deep breath, Connor strode forward and hopped on the creatures back before he could lose his nerve.

The ancient predator shifted slightly, getting used to Connor's weight, but it didn't buck him off.

Connor released a breath he didn't realize he was holding.

Perseus slapped Connor on the shoulder, "Good luck kid."

Connor nodded. He used his legs to steer the pterodactyl in the direction of the cliff. With a click of his heals, young kryptonian drove the legendary beast into the sky.