Part 16
Mornie Alantië
May it be an evening star
Shines down upon you
Hours before dawn, Orarin's men moved out of camp and into the hills. Guided by Kal, their course would lead them straight to where the hinds hid. At the same time, the Corinthian force, led by Balin and Theseus, unknowingly took a path that would lead them to intercept Orarin's army directly in front of the caves.
While all of this transpired, the hinds were busy. Those unable to engage in combat were moved to the back of the caves. Everyone else prepared, both physically and mentally, for battle. All that is, except for one. His mind was elsewhere, and for good reason.
May it be when darkness falls
Your heart will be true
Finally, the sun rose. Beneath its warm rays, the three groups clashed. Arrows criss-crossed the air in patchwork quilt patterns, whistling until they thudded into their victims. Strained cries and grunts kept time to the clanging and clashing of metal on metal. Seasoned warriors fought quick-footed novices. A lone warrior, having pushed away fro his group, was so caught up in the melee that he lost track of where he was.
Fighting but not killing, Iolaus continued forward frantically, urged on by a voice in his head. 'Go, my golden hunter, go where I lead you. He needs you. Hurry.'
You walk a lonely road
Oh! How far you are from home
Suddenly, Hercules woke. He stopped with a gasp, in mid-stride. "Whoa." Hercules looked around him. He was in the middle of a large, deserted camp. Some of the fires were still smoldering. Hercules walked over and crouched down next to one. Though the ashy, dying fire still smoked, it was only warm to the touch. "A few hours old," Hercules murmured to himself. He sat there for awhile, running through his memories. The last thing he remembered was getting lost in the woods…then…had he fallen asleep?
Just as Hercules began trying to figure out what happened, he felt something pulling him forward. Despite weak protests in the back of his mind, a section which was quickly fogging, Hercules stood and his feet moved him through the camp. Each step set off a warning bell in Hercules' mind, but still he continued. His steps took the demigod into a richly decorated and lavishly furnished tent. There, his mind cleared.
Hercules was all of a sudden aware of something he should of realized sooner, but couldn't. A malevolent presence was all around him, suffocating him. He tried to run out of the tent, but slammed into an invisible wall right at the entrance. Hercules fell back with a cry of pain. A hauntingly familiar laugh, maniacal and cruel, filled the tent. The voice was oppressive, pushing Hercules further into the ground. "Welcome, son of Zeus."
Mornie utúlië
Believe and you will find your way
Iolaus' heart jumped. 'Hurry,' the benevolent voice urged him. Iolaus hated this feeling, this sick dread. "I don't know how big guy handles it, being worried all the time," he muttered, dodging another blow. "That's it, this is ridiculous." In the chaos, no one noticed one blonde hunter slip away from the battle and into the forest.
Mornie alantië
A promise lives within you now
The still air inside the tent picked up and whooshed, whipping Hercules' hair about. The wind drew to a pinnacle in the center of the tent, where a man materialized. Hercules found himself able to stand, and he did so painstakingly. The figure in the center watched with amusement, waiting until Hercules stood and faced him before speaking. "Again, welcome, Hercules."
"Who are you and why are you attacking the hinds?" Hercules demanded. The figure laughed again. His laugh reminded Hercules of Ares' laugh; the demigod was shocked to find himself wishing that it was Ares here instead.
"I am Kal. You're a bright boy, I'm sure you've figured out by now that I'm a god," Kal flashed Hercules a dazzling smile. "As for what I'm doing with the hinds, I'm sure you know that too. The Olympians, your family, have dominated long enough. It is time for someone else to take over. And I'll do it by using all of Zeus' own rules against him. That is where you fit in."
Hercules
shuddered in spite of himself. Kal unnerved him in ways Ares never could.
Maybe it was the familiarity of Ares, or the war god's inability to kill him
because of the protection order. Hercules swallowed down his mounting fear.
"What are you talking about?"
Kal grinned evilly and meandered about the tent. "Even if my
arm fails, I have enough hinds blood now to wipe out all of Olympus. So Orarin win or lose,
today is victory. As for you," Kal stopped and fixed Hercules with a
chilling stare, "you will be my first blow to Zeus. I created a scheme
that hit two Olympians close to home, they entreated your help, and unknowingly
lured you out here for me." Kal's grin faded and was replaced by a stony
wall of hate. "Enough of this talk. This knowledge will do you no good.
Nothing will. Tell your Uncle Hades that he'll be joining you soon on the
other side, compliments of Kal, true god of war!"
Kal sent an energy bolt straight at Hercules' chest. Hercules' body exploded in pain upon impact, soared backward, and hit the invisible tent wall with a sickening crack.
May it be shadows call
Will fly away
Though the day stretched on towards noon, it grew darker and colder instead of lighter and hotter. A billowing cloud, beginning as merely a small mass above Orarin's camp, expanded until it soon covered the entire sky. Try as it might, the sun could not shine through. In fact, the cloud was thickest over the patch where the sun hung, as if trying to send a sinister omen to those who struggled for good.
The omen did not go unnoticed. From her position at the mouth of the cave where she watched and guided the hinds, Willow felt an icy claw grip her heart.
May it be your journey on
To light the day
Willow was not the only to notice. Iolaus glanced up at the darkening sky grimly, and forced himself to plough faster through the thick forest. Yet, however unintended, the evil cloud served a noble cause that day. Iolaus traced the cloud's origins and suddenly knew exactly where to go. Find the source of the cloud, and find Hercules.
When the night is overcome
You may rise to find the sun
A mist swirled around the tent. Was it real mist, or was it the blow to his head? Hercules couldn't tell. All of which he was certain was that the danger was far from gone. "Ahh…I see you are awake, half-runt. Good. I was growing tired of waiting for you. I almost killed you right then and there, saving you from worlds and pain and therefore much pleasure on my part."
From his position on the ground, Hercules could see Kal's fine leather boot standing by his middle. "Now…enjoy this moment, little demigod. It is one of your last." Kal kicked Hercules' side, sending the cadet spiraling through the air. Hercules pooled together all of his strength and managed to twist and land shakily on his ffeet.
Kal's face contorted in a twisted mix of mirth and hate. "I see you are trying to fight. Fine. It's so much more satisfying when the victim begs for it."
'Someone needs to get his own material,' Hercules thought in spite of himself as he clumsily jumped away from blast after blast from Kal. 'Half the lines he's spat out tonight I've heard before from Ares.'
Mornie utúlië
Believe and you will find your way
Iolaus' eyes lit with a severe determination as he spotted the camp no more than two feet ahead. Not too far off in the distance sat a grand tent, swathed in mist. 'Hang on, buddy,' Iolaus thought, sending the prayer out as hard as he could. 'Hang on. I'm coming.'
Mornie alantië
A promise lives within you now
Hercules had defended himself as best he could, but the minimal store of energy he had soon ran out. Before long, he found himself battered mercilessly by countless blows from Kal. Bruises were scattered all over Hercules' body so frequently that it seemed they belonged there. Hercules knew that at least two ribs and an arm were broken, blood flowed freely from the numerous cuts on Hercules' head, face, and chest, and there was an excruciating, stabbing and burning pain coming from inside Hercules' chest and throat.
Another flash of power sprawled Hercules onto the ground. Vainly, Hercules struggled to stand, but his body shrieked in protest and would not comply. Chuckling wickedly, Kal stood directly over Hercules. And now to send Zeus the first sign that it is the beginning of the end for Olympus." Kal raised a hand and the air around Hercules crackled and sizzled. Hercules squeezed his eyes shut and prayed that it would be painless.
Suddenly, a familiar voice that sent shockwaves through Hercules' mind and heart pierced through the air. "Hercules!" Iolaus screamed from outside the tent. The hunter clawed at the invisible wall separating him from his best friend. "Hercules!" Iolaus yelled again.
'Go back, Iolaus, go back!" Hercules mentally urged. 'Don't get yourself killed too because of me!' But it seemed that Iolaus did not hear him, or heard but chose not to listen. Probably the latter.
Kal turned and glanced in boredom at Iolaus. "Wait there, mortal. I'll deal with you in a minute." Kal began to resume his set task, but was again interrupted. Iolaus cam barreling through the tent, and he tackled Kal.
"You get AWAY from him!"
Hercules stared at the scene before him, unable to move but glued to every action. At the doorway of the tent stood a handful of gods, some Hercules recognized and others that he didn't. One Hercules thought he saw, but was unable to believe was there.
Kal flung Iolaus off him, but the hunter landed on his feet, relatively unharmed. He whirled around on the Olympians. "What do you think you are doing?" he hissed.
"It's over Kal," the one in the front, Artemis, answered. "Orarin's forces were defeated and now they are fleeing my island. We have collected the hinds blood, and don't think we'll let you kill my brother. It's over."
Kal roared in fury. The grounds shook, but faced with half a dozen gods, he could do nothing. With a scathing glance first to Artemis, then to Hercules and Iolaus, Kal disappeared.
Hercules sighed in relief, a sagging weight lifted from his shoulders, but immediately regretted the action. A rattling cough shook his body. Blood spurted out of his mouth and onto his chin. "Herc!" Iolaus cried and ran to his side. "Help him!" Iolaus pleaded to Artemis, clasping Hercules' hand in his. "He's dying! Save him!"
Artemis gazed at Hercules and Iolaus with remorse. "We can't. Athena does not wish to defy father's still-standing orders, and without her blessing, none of us can heal."
Tears tugged at Iolaus' eyes, and some splashed on his cheeks. "But Kal's gone! How is helping Hercules interfering?"
Artemis did not answer. She and the other gods began to fade away. "Fine!" Iolaus shouted at them. "I'll do it myself! I'll get him to the hinds on time, they'll help!"
"Make haste, my golden hunter and chosen one," Artemis whispered before disappearing with the rest of the gods.
Hercules felt himself blacking out. The last thing he saw was Iolaus' stubbornly determined face as he somehow hoisted Hercules up. "Hold on, big guy. I'll get you help in time, just hold on." Hercules let go of consciousness, trusting that his best friend would save him. Iolaus made his way out of the tent with Hercules into the rapidly brightening afternoon.
A promise lives within you now
Elvish guide
Mornie utúlië - darkness has come
Mornie alantië – darkness has fallen
Song "may it be" taken from the lord of the rings soundtrack, it belongs to whomever it belongs to, just not me. Yeah, I know, I mixed lotr and yh a little in this chapter and I'm not totally sure if it worked, but hopefully it did. I can't help it…herc and iolaus and frodo and sam are so alike in certain ways…