Chapter Fourteen

Shoved to and fro Meg scowled at the people crushing against her. Had Thebes been this busy when she had last visited or had she been so enthralled at her return to the mortal real that she had noticed none of the shortcomings of the city? Her eyes scanned the crowd searching for Hercules, her eyes landed on a shock of bright hair and strong muscled arms. Quickly she looked away, as if she had not seen him and stumbled at the icicle which pierced her heart.

"Don't cross me babe," Hades voice was as clear as if he stood next to her. "You have your job to do, now do it." A cry escaped her lips as the icicle was twisted but those around her either ignored her outright or pretended not to see that she was in pain. The pain ceased almost as quickly as it had started and carefully Meg climbed to her feet, moving swiftly out of the crowd to avoid being trampled. Taking a deep breath to compose herself she pushed through the crowd once more, aiming for Hercules.

"Please help! Please!" She cried reaching out for whoever was closest and seizing the front of their clothes. She expected the shoving as people tore their clothes free and scowled at her. "There's been a terrible accident!" But just like when she had been in pain her cries went ignored. A spark of hatred for her fellow mortals stabbed at Meg but she pushed it away, focusing on the task at hand.

"Meg?" She heard the soft voice and turned her head in surprise, allowing her shoulders to sag in relief.

"Wonderboy!" She cried throwing herself in his direction. "Hercules, thank goodness!"

"What's wrong?" Meg blinked rapidly as if trying to clear her eyes of tears.

"Outside of town, two little boys – they were playing in the gorge." She gulped and looked backwards over her shoulder. "There was a rock slide – a terrible rock slide! They're trapped!"

"Kids? Trapped?" She had expected Hercules to be horrified. She was not prepared for him to turn around and sweep the satyr up with a wide grin on his face. "Phil this is great!"

"You're really choked up about this aren't you?" She asked dropping her damsel-in-distress appearance and looking at him, her voice dripped with cold sarcasm. She cried in surprise as Hercules grabbed her arm and pulled her in the direction of his brilliant white winged horse. No longer was her fear a pretence and her legs buckled beneath her.

"Come on!" Hercules called sweeping her in to his arms and dumping her in the saddle.

"No I – you don't understand!" She cried but the horse sensed her nerves and cruelly kicked off in to the sky. "I have this terrible fear of heights!" Was it her imagination or did the horse fly higher than was necessary? She clung to Hercules, but her arms could barely encircle his muscular forms. You better not let me die Hades! She thought bitterly, if I am doing your dirty work then you can at least protect me! As Hercules helped her down from Pegasus Meg leant against the nearest boulder, retching unceremoniously. Perhaps it was just as well she rarely ate in the Underworld, she was sure she would have brought up the past month's food if she had eaten.

She could hear the cries of the two "children" trapped beneath a crushing boulder. The crowd were so enthralled with Hercules that they did not see the smoke envelop the slender woman, nor that she had disappeared when it cleared. Ignoring Hades, Meg leant on the edge of the balcony that he had created in the opposite mountain face. She watched in awe as Hercules picked up the boulder and lifted it above his head. He really must be a demi-god! She thought letting out an admiring gasp. Behind her she could hear Pain and Panic basking in praise from Hades.

"And hey, two thumbs way up for our leading lady." Meg turned to look at Hades, a small frown on her face. "What a dish. What a doll." She could feel the heat flare on her cheeks and she turned to look back at the cavern below. Hercules was still amongst the crowd, soaking up their praise.

"Get out of there you big lug, while you still can." She gripped the edge of the stone balcony, her nails bending backwards. She could barely watch as the hydra emerged and she turned her back on the display. She was thankful that Hades was so enamoured with what was taking place, he barely paid Meg any heed. She wanted to pray to Zeus, she was desperate to pray, but she was ashamed at the terror she felt for Hades. Surely Zeus must realise this is his son? Would he not intervene in some way?

"He can't interfere babe, if he wants to be reunited with his son then Wonderboy needs to prove he is a true hero."

"So he will sit back while his son risks his life?" Hades just shrugged and leant back in a throne like chair. Meg retched and held her throat as she turned around to see the hydra swallow Hercules in one gulp. She was surprised when Hades remained seated, she half-expected him to be jumping and shouting in victory.

"Keep watching," Hades murmured to her and she felt her head frozen in place, unable to look away. The hydra's throat began to shake, and it gagged as if there was something stuck. Green slime exploded from the hydra's neck before it toppled to the floor completely severed from the body. Beside her Pain and Panic began to hyperventilate, running around in circles as they waited for Hades to strike them. "Relax, it's only half time." A bowl of fat worms appeared beside him and he picked at them greedily.

Meg squeezed her eyes tightly shut as three heads sprouted from the open wound where the hydra's original neck had been. The excitement radiating from Hades was palpable and she almost knelt on the floor so she could bury her face in her neck. What would the world be like if Hades ruled Olympus? She tried to tell herself he would not be as bad as the other gods, but she knew he had a cruel streak. She had seen it. He loathed the gods for their laziness, but while he was not as lazy he was just as cruel. Perhaps more so. At the sound of screaming she forced herself to open her eyes, to watch the scene which she had helped cause. I'm sorry Wonderboy, she thought clenching her fists as the hydra slammed him against the rocky wall. Each head straightened and Meg lost hope of trying to count them. Which of the hundreds of heads would be the one to claim him?

"My favourite part of the game," Hades laughed cruelly. "Sudden death." As the heads swept down to claim their victim Hercules raised his fists and struck the rocky surface. Meg watched in astonishment as an avalanche of bone crushing rocks consumed the hydra, and Hercules.

"No," she whispered stepping back and almost bumping into the throne Hades was sat upon.

"Game." He used his thumb to light a cigar clenched between his teeth. "Set. Match." A cold hand rested on Meg's head, stroking through her thick hair. As his hand reached the bottom he twisted her ponytail around his fist, pulling her closer. She could feel her head turning, but she couldn't bring herself to look in to the smug and victorious eyes of the god beside her.

"Look!" Pain shouted and began jumping excitedly as he pointed at the monster below. Meg squinted her eyes as she focused on the fist; was it opening? Impossible! She thought. But already the claws were been pushed apart, as if something within was trying to break free. Hades released her hair as he rushed forwards, unable to believe the sight before him.

"Well…what do you know?" Meg smiled and couldn't help clapping along with the crowds. The smell of burning flesh made her nose wrinkle and she saw the smouldering heads of both Pain and Panic grasped painfully in Hades molten red hands. She ducked just in time as he sent fire exploding in all directions.

"How could he have defeated the hydra?" Hades yelled when they were back within the Underworld. Pain and Panic both lay in a smouldering heap on the floor, their skin blackened and blistered. Meg found herself pitying the two imps. "Do not pity them," Hades hissed as if he had read her mind. "If they had completed their task eighteen years ago then they would not be in pain now! Let this be a lesson to you Meg!" Scorching hands gripped her chin. "Let this be a warning to you Megara. I will not tolerate failure."