The Portal
Author: a_delacroix@hotmail.com
Chapter 25
While Venta was still frozen in shock at the events he had just witnessed, Clark walked over and grabbed Venta's upper arm. Clark clamped down extremely hard stopping just short of the force that would break bones, but definitely reinforcing who was the stronger man.
"Now, as I was saying," Clark began. "We have some business to discuss. Let us find some mead . . ."
"Wine," interjected Chloe.
". . . wine and have a chat." Then still holding Venta's arm Clark started strolling over towards the wine vendors along the south side of the forum.
With their attention focused on Venta and Venta still in a slight haze of shock, none of the three noticed the man who stepped out of the crowd and trailed along a few steps behind, but within easy listening distance. The man had a slightly build and was wearing a filthy old robe and a giant floppy straw hat to protect against the midday sun and which conveniently did a good job of concealing his face from casual perusal.
As they reached a couple of benches near the wine vendors, the people who had been sitting there before all of the excitement began rapidly cleared out of the way. Clark called out to the vendors for wine and then sat on one of the benches forcing Venta to sit next to him by maintaining the iron grip on his arm. As Chloe sank down on the facing bench, their unnoticed shadow sprawled out on the ground at the base of the adjacent shade tree and pulled a bag of dates from within his robe.
After the wine vendor had filled three mugs and left them the large jug, Clark began to speak. "Six hundred years ago, shortly after the end of the glorious war at Troy, Zeus, for reasons known only to him, banished most of the other gods and great heroes from this realm. He himself then retreated to Mount Olympus and blocked all access points between this, the mortal realm, and the higher godly planes."
"Now this wouldn't have been so bad if he had banished us to the pleasant Elysian Fields where the hunting is good, there is feasting every night, and the supply of beautiful wenches is endless.
"Or it might have been at least tolerable if he had sent us to the Fields of Asphodel where most of the mortal shades end up after death. It is a gray, dreary place and the shades have lost most of their memories of the mortal realm, but at least that realm is not filled with torture and brutal slave-like hard labor.
"But, no, that asshole Zeus couldn't banish us there. He had to send us to Tartarus, the lowest region of Hades. Well beyond the rivers Styx, Acheron, Cocytius, Phlegethon, and even Lethe to the deepest, darkest pits of Hell. The same god-forsaken place he banished Cronus, his father, and all of the other old Titans when he first came to power."
Chloe sat there almost in awe watching Clark play out his role. They had never discussed any of these details during the conversation at the baths yesterday afternoon. She didn't know where he had learned all of this other mythology, but listening to the strength and power Clark could put into his voice, she was almost starting to believe herself that he really was Ares, the Greek God of War.
Clark continued. "For six hundred fucking years, Apollo, Hercules, Perseus, Jason, Hermes, Odysseus, Hephaestus, me and all of the others have endured backbreaking labor along side Cronus, Oceanus, Atlas, and the other Titans under the brutal whip of Zeus' brother, Pluto, and his hell-bitch wife, Persephone."
Clark shook his head as if to clear it of deep, dark thoughts and let out a small sigh. "Six months ago I was working in the deepest, most remote quarry in all of Tartarus when I came upon a strange green shimmering doorway in an otherwise nondescript quarry wall. When I reached out my hand to touch the surface, it passed straight through. Walking forward, I stepped through the shimmering doorway and found myself back in the mortal realm deep in the Caucasus Mountains far beyond the Pontus Euxinus Sea.
"As soon as my foot touch the soil of earth again, Aphrodite and I could sense each other's presence and we immediately set out to meet. Three months ago we both arrived in Antiochia before traveling back here to Rome."
Straightening up, Clark continued. "Now, let's get down to business. It is my intention to rescue the others from Tartarus and then we will storm Olympus and overthrow Zeus. Aphrodite says your help or," and here Clark turned to Chloe, "What was that other mortal's name?"
"Antonius Octavius Carius," responded Chloe promptly.
"Your help or that of this Carius would be most useful. Now I am willing to offer lordship over the mortal realms and immortality to you two or any others who help me, once Zeus is defeated and I am in power."
Venta had been sitting there in stunned silence. When this 'Ares' had first implied he and Coelia were gods, he had thought it was just an attempted scam to get him to back off on the treason charge against Coelia. But then the tossing of Coelia into the air as though she weighed no more than a baseball, and the defeat of his troops in the blink of the eye, and finally the big bite taken out of his own sword, the one he had been carrying for the past three years. How had this 'Ares' accomplished all of these things in a matter of seconds? He couldn't be a god since everyone from the 20th century knew they didn't exist. But then what was he? How had he done those things? If he could do those things, were his offers of immortality and control of the world possible?
Clark could see the wavering in Venta's eyes. Time for the other blast to fully shake his confidence and control.
Clark looked over at Chloe, gave a quick wink, and said, "Aphrodite, you have spent hundreds of years living among the mortals, and have the gift of SIGHT. Perhaps it is best if you explain the rest."
Venta looked over at Coelia and saw her nod at Ares' statement and then watched as her eyes rolled up into her head until only the whites were showing.
She sat there humming softly for thirty seconds before closing her eyes and shaking violently for at least ten seconds. As her body finally stilled, she opened her eyes and tough, battle-hardened Venta let out a gasp of horror. Her eyes were solid pools of crimson red with small trickles of blood seeping from the corners. For an instant Venta thought he was looking directly into the portals of hell.
Then she began to speak and it was even worse. The voice was not that of the Coelia he knew, but the low, raspy sound the dead always made in the horror movies of his youth.
There he sat, a grown man in broad daylight and suddenly it felt like he was trapped in some long forgotten nightmare.
"Sven Torsnes, let me explain things in the terms of your world of science, so you may understand," began Chloe.
'My god,' thought Venta. 'How does she know my real name?'
"The world of the Greek Gods is located in a universe parallel to this planet earth. Previously, only the most powerful of the Greek Gods could open doorways between the universes, but now a new force has entered this world. When Professor Carey's diabolical device opens a wormhole from the future, a harmonic wormhole opens between this universe and that of the Greek Gods."
Chloe's voice was getting fainter and fainter. Both Venta and Clark, who was almost as shocked by Chloe's performance as Venta, found themselves leaning forward as she said the final words. "The green stones are the key."
Then suddenly her head sagged forward as her eyes closed. After about ten seconds she raised her head, gave it several tiny shakes, and opened her eyes. They had returned to their normal clear, light green and if not for the small drops of drying blood near the corners, her otherworldly trance would have seemed a figment of Venta's overworked imagination.
"Ahh," said Chloe with her voice returned to its normal rich soprano. "Things are much clearer now. The SIGHT always is clearest when the subject is present."
After giving Venta a new appraising once over inspection with a curious glimmer in her eye, Chloe said. "This thing called . . . ahh . . . science that mortals will develop in the future is very interesting. Particularly the way it can reproduce some of the gifts of the gods."
Turning towards Clark, Chloe continued in a more excited tone. "Ares, my earlier SIGHT was right! Well, mostly right. It is not these two mortals that are the potential key to victory, but rather something they possess. In the distant future, about 2000 years from now, mortals will develop a device that can open doorways between different times on Earth, in the same way Zeus and the old Gods can open doorways between the Godly Planes and Earth. However, at the same time it is opening a doorway between the different times on Earth the device also opens a second doorway between a random spot on the earth and a random spot in the Godly Planes. The other man we seek, Antonius Octavius Carius, has been opening doorways off-and-on for the past 50 years, but apparently the one you used six months ago is the first one that has opened where anyone was present."
Clark appeared to ponder this for a few seconds. "If the doorways to the other realm are random, I don't see how that helps us."
"Ahh, but the key to the device are special green stones. These stones that power the device are not from the Earth, but from some other realm. And from my SIGHT it is clear that any God who possesses these stones can use his WILL to control where the doorways between the Earth and the Godly Planes open. Any God. You, me, Apollo, Hermes, any of us. Perhaps it is something like these stones that is the secret of Zeus' and the Old God's powers!"
Appearing to mutter under his breath, Clark said. "With the power of the Old Gods, I can take Olympus from Zeus and then we'll see how he likes Tartarus."
Turning to Venta, Clark stated, "I will stand behind my former offer. To whoever delivers these green stones to me and aids me in defeating Zeus, I will grant lordship over the mortal realm and the gift of immortality. Let us drink to success."
As the three of them were raising their mugs, the man who had been sitting under the nearby tree quietly climbed to his feet. As he walked towards Clark and the others he removed his oversized straw hat. A gasp went through the crowd, which had surrounded them and had been following conversation with baited breathe. Following the collective gasp was hurried bowing of heads and murmurs of 'Your Majesty'.
Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus had been the Emperor of the Roman Empire for a little over a month, but had developed the habit of traveling incognito long before his ascension to the imperial purple. Even when he was only one of many potential successors to Tiberius, he never fully trusted his advisors to ferret out all the real or imagined attempts against his life and had started his own secret activities to look for hidden plots.
Today he had been planning to spy on a pair of senators as they left the senate he suspected of treason when he noticed the exchange between Venta, the second in command of his Praetorians, and these other two. He had just gotten close when all of the action began. When the girl was tossed into the air, he had been one of the few to keep his eyes on the man instead. The man who had just blurred and disappeared while all of the soldiers were crumpling to the ground.
Now the exchange between these three appeared to be ending and if he was going to get any additional information, it had become necessary to make his presence known.
As he approached, the three rose to their feet and Venta properly bowed his head, but the other two gave the merest of nods. Ares began to speak when the woman cut him off.
Speaking in a low voice that the four of them could hear, but would not carry to the crowd, the woman said. "Greetings to a fellow God, Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, however I have the gift of SIGHT and the time is not yet auspicious to publicly acknowledge your divinity."
Caligula beamed at this acknowledgement of his Godhood, which he had always known, but hadn't yet proclaimed. He was thrilled to finally meet two of his equals.
Smiling almost shyly, he asked in a soft, nearly effeminate voice, "You appear to know me, but we have not been properly introduced."
"Of course, how rude of me," answered Chloe. "This is Ares, he has just returned to the mortal realm after six hundred years in Hades. I am Aphrodite. I have lived among mortals for thousands of years, but like you I have been under a mandate to pass as a mortal. In this present era I am known as Coelia Doinysia Flavius and, if you remember, we met briefly at Emperor Tiberius' birthday celebration last year. For me, the mandate to hide my true identity was lifted with the return of Ares. For you, my SIGHT tells me the mandate will be lifted after you assume personal command of the Army of the Rhine, however today is not yet that day."
"I could feel your presence under that tree, Gaius," said Clark in a more normal tone that could be overheard by the nearer members of the crowd. "And earlier during the confrontation. I tried not to seriously damage any of your loyal soldiers, as I hoped we may end up as allies. Tell me, did you follow the conversation we had with Venta here?" And as he said his name, Clark clapped his arm down hard onto Venta's shoulders causing his knees to buckle and he almost collapsed to the ground. "Sorry, old man, sometimes I forget my strength. It wouldn't do for me to hurt you, now that we are going to be working together."
Caligula was nodding in response to Clark's question. "Yes, yes. It is all so exciting. You must tell me more about Hades and Olympus."
"I would be happy to tell you all about them. And if you will aid me in my quest to rescue my comrades and overthrow Zeus, well, I think a long pleasant visit to Mount Olympus could be arranged for you. As for Hades, the portions I have experienced are not a nice place to visit, but I will be happy to describe them in detail."
"Actually visit Mount Olympus?" Asked Caligula trembling with delight. "Of course, I will do anything I can to help you."
Clark put on a big broad smile. "Excellent. This is not the most relaxing, comfortable location for the telling of long stories. Aphrodite and I were planning on visiting the Circus Maximus for the chariot races this afternoon. Chariot Races, a true sport of the Gods. Perhaps we could meet you there and continue this conversation."
"Oh, that would be most wonderful," responded Caligula. "My personal champion, Calpurnius Piso, will be driving for the Greens in the final race. You must join me in the imperial box and after the races we will have a celebratory feast."
Clark inclined his head. "You are a most gracious and generous host. I look forward to seeing you this afternoon. Come, Aphrodite," and Clark held out his arm to Chloe.
Clark and Chloe started to leave when Clark stopped and turned back towards Venta and said with his hardest, most menacing tone. "Venta, I expect prompt action on the things we discussed. Mortals who displease me quickly feel my wrath." Then Clark and Chloe turned and swept out of the Forum as majestically as possible.
After they had walked for several minutes and turned several corners Clark let out a deep sigh and said in English so they wouldn't be overheard. "Wow that was intense."
"Yeah," agreed Chloe. "Where the hell did you come up with all of that Greek Mythology? It went way beyond what we discussed yesterday. Not that I am complaining, when you started rattling off all of the names of those Gods and described your exile to Tartarus, it sent chills through my bones."
Clark grinned. "After our conversation at the baths instead of our normal Latin lesson with Cyrus, I had him give Lana and me a lecture on Greek Mythology instead. Particularly about Hades and which of the Gods and heroes were still alive at the end of all of the fables. I mean if a bunch of them were still alive, what happened to them? It seemed if our story made reference to more than just the two of us, it would be more believable."
"Yeah, that has been my experience. If you make the scam convoluted enough, the mark is so busy looking for minor inconsistencies that he overlooks that the whole thing is an illusion. Of course, with some of the things you did I don't know what other explanations Venta is going to be able to come up with other than that you are a God. When you tossed me up into the air, it was so unexpected and scary. Clark, are you really a God?"
Clark shrugged. "No more than you. I mean when you went into that trance and your eyes were solid pools of blood. Way too freaky, I thought you had hurt yourself."
"Well, I can't totally change my appearance like Amy could, but I can do minor tricks like that eye thing. It took a long time for me to work around the built-in safeties of the 'bot system to allow temporary self- inflicted injuries when it is necessary. Fortunately, all the eye trick requires is momentarily increasing the blood pressure in a couple of key arteries in the eyes to cause them to rupture and cover the surface of my eyes with blood. Then once I am finished and close my eyes, the 'bots quickly breakdown the excess blood and repair the damaged arteries. I have used this ploy a number of times down through the millennia when I needed to play the role of oracle or mystic."
"So that eerie voice was another part of the same act?"
Chloe nodded. "Yeah, all though that is just a matter of a lot of practice at voice control. You would be amazed at some of the skills you can mastery with enough years of practice. But then most people can't allocate eight hours a day for three hundred years to truly master one skill. Now I don't have the range to do most men convincingly, but with women, well check this out."
Chloe paused for a moment and then said in a perfect replica of Martha Kent's voice. "Clark Hudson Kent get your butt out of that bed right now. You are going to miss the bus again."
Clark stopped walking, turned, and just stared at her. Then he closed his eyes and after a few seconds Chloe could see a couple of big tears starting to form. Chloe stepped up and pulled Clark into the tightest hug that she could, realizing her mistake that if she was going to mimic someone's voice she should have done Lana and not his Mom.
"Clark, I am so sorry. I didn't think," she said as she felt the tears welling up in her own eyes.
Clark hugged her back. "I miss seeing my Mom and Dad so much and then that voice. I think this is the longest I have ever gone without seeing them. And Pete, too. I just so want to go home to Smallville."
"Me, too, Clark. Me, too," said Chloe slowly stroking his back remembering again that Clark for all of his great powers and gifts was only a sixteen- year-old boy on his first great adventure. "Hopefully, after the encounter we just had we are a lot closer to obtaining the meteor rocks and can be on our way home."
"Do you really think Venta bought the story?" asked Clark as he dried his eyes and then took Chloe's hand before turning once more in the direction of Chloe's estate.
"I don't know, Clark. It is very hard for someone from modern times to accept things like Greek Gods. I just hope the subtle reference to parallel universes put that little hint of science into the equation that will make it seem plausible. Plus I can't see how they can explain away your couple of stunts even with 21st century science.
"And then there is the whole lucky stroke of Caligula being there. He definitely believes we are Gods, I could see it in his eyes," said Chloe. "He may be able to help us retrieve the meteor rocks, but can definitely help us stop the General and his army of the Rhine."
"I did notice you work that into your conversation."
"Yeah, well, Caligula really will execute at least one general of the Rhine Army and he does ultimately proclaim his Godhood after personally leading that army for awhile, so all of the things I told him will come true eventually. So I don't think anything I said will disrupt the timeline."
"Do you think we can depend on Caligula? He doesn't strike me as being too stable," asked Clark.
"Oh, he is a classical case of delusional paranoia with just a light layering of schizophrenia. If we handle this correctly, he shouldn't be any problem."
Clark just stared at her.
"What, don't you believe I know anything about clinical psychology? I will have you know I was the personal secretary to both Freud and Jung at various times during their lives and I did learn a thing or two."
Clark just shook his head at learning one more new facet of Chloe's remarkable background. Finally, he asked, "What about Lex and Lana? They are supposed to go with us to the chariot races this afternoon."
They walked in silence for several blocks as Chloe thought. Finally she answered. "I guess this is where it starts to get tricky, bringing them partway into this cover story without telling them everything. Particularly after your very public display of your powers. Word of this 'Ares' will spread through Rome like wildfire and will probable even reach my estate before we do. Once we explain our new cover names of Ares and Aphrodite, Lex is likely to put two and two together."
"Damn," said Clark. "I knew as soon as I tossed you into the air I should have gone with a different approach. I could have just as easily appeared to have fought and beat the soldiers in speed mode. The other things could have been explained away to Lex as sleight of hand or 21st century science."
"Clark, it is too late to waste time on second thoughts now. What's done is done. Plus, we really needed several truly unexplainable things, if we have any hope of convincing Venta."
Here Chloe paused for a moment, then said, "One thing though, Clark. You might want to practice that whole toss and catch thing a few more times before you try it with anyone else."
Clark looked at her with a dawning expression on his face. "Oh my god, did I hurt you?"
Chloe held up a hand. "Just a couple of cracked ribs. No, no. It's not a big deal, I am fully recovered. Just try to be a little gentler if you have to do something like that with Lana or Lex."
Clark nodded in a somewhat subdued way as he struggled with the fact that his little stunt, which at first had seemed so brilliant, had only ended up complicating everything and causing the woman he loved some unnecessary pain.
"Come on, Clark. It is not that big of a deal. Cheer up and let's figure out what to tell Lex and Lana," said Chloe. And then knowing what would cheer up any sixteen-year-old boy, she continued. "When we get back to the estate, I will have to pick out something appropriate to wear for an 'official' meeting with the emperor. Could I suggest a little Victoria's Secret style fashion show to help you decide what I should wear?"
Clark grinned, grabbed Chloe's hand, and set off at a brisk pace back towards her fabulous estate.
End of Chapter 25
Author: a_delacroix@hotmail.com
Chapter 25
While Venta was still frozen in shock at the events he had just witnessed, Clark walked over and grabbed Venta's upper arm. Clark clamped down extremely hard stopping just short of the force that would break bones, but definitely reinforcing who was the stronger man.
"Now, as I was saying," Clark began. "We have some business to discuss. Let us find some mead . . ."
"Wine," interjected Chloe.
". . . wine and have a chat." Then still holding Venta's arm Clark started strolling over towards the wine vendors along the south side of the forum.
With their attention focused on Venta and Venta still in a slight haze of shock, none of the three noticed the man who stepped out of the crowd and trailed along a few steps behind, but within easy listening distance. The man had a slightly build and was wearing a filthy old robe and a giant floppy straw hat to protect against the midday sun and which conveniently did a good job of concealing his face from casual perusal.
As they reached a couple of benches near the wine vendors, the people who had been sitting there before all of the excitement began rapidly cleared out of the way. Clark called out to the vendors for wine and then sat on one of the benches forcing Venta to sit next to him by maintaining the iron grip on his arm. As Chloe sank down on the facing bench, their unnoticed shadow sprawled out on the ground at the base of the adjacent shade tree and pulled a bag of dates from within his robe.
After the wine vendor had filled three mugs and left them the large jug, Clark began to speak. "Six hundred years ago, shortly after the end of the glorious war at Troy, Zeus, for reasons known only to him, banished most of the other gods and great heroes from this realm. He himself then retreated to Mount Olympus and blocked all access points between this, the mortal realm, and the higher godly planes."
"Now this wouldn't have been so bad if he had banished us to the pleasant Elysian Fields where the hunting is good, there is feasting every night, and the supply of beautiful wenches is endless.
"Or it might have been at least tolerable if he had sent us to the Fields of Asphodel where most of the mortal shades end up after death. It is a gray, dreary place and the shades have lost most of their memories of the mortal realm, but at least that realm is not filled with torture and brutal slave-like hard labor.
"But, no, that asshole Zeus couldn't banish us there. He had to send us to Tartarus, the lowest region of Hades. Well beyond the rivers Styx, Acheron, Cocytius, Phlegethon, and even Lethe to the deepest, darkest pits of Hell. The same god-forsaken place he banished Cronus, his father, and all of the other old Titans when he first came to power."
Chloe sat there almost in awe watching Clark play out his role. They had never discussed any of these details during the conversation at the baths yesterday afternoon. She didn't know where he had learned all of this other mythology, but listening to the strength and power Clark could put into his voice, she was almost starting to believe herself that he really was Ares, the Greek God of War.
Clark continued. "For six hundred fucking years, Apollo, Hercules, Perseus, Jason, Hermes, Odysseus, Hephaestus, me and all of the others have endured backbreaking labor along side Cronus, Oceanus, Atlas, and the other Titans under the brutal whip of Zeus' brother, Pluto, and his hell-bitch wife, Persephone."
Clark shook his head as if to clear it of deep, dark thoughts and let out a small sigh. "Six months ago I was working in the deepest, most remote quarry in all of Tartarus when I came upon a strange green shimmering doorway in an otherwise nondescript quarry wall. When I reached out my hand to touch the surface, it passed straight through. Walking forward, I stepped through the shimmering doorway and found myself back in the mortal realm deep in the Caucasus Mountains far beyond the Pontus Euxinus Sea.
"As soon as my foot touch the soil of earth again, Aphrodite and I could sense each other's presence and we immediately set out to meet. Three months ago we both arrived in Antiochia before traveling back here to Rome."
Straightening up, Clark continued. "Now, let's get down to business. It is my intention to rescue the others from Tartarus and then we will storm Olympus and overthrow Zeus. Aphrodite says your help or," and here Clark turned to Chloe, "What was that other mortal's name?"
"Antonius Octavius Carius," responded Chloe promptly.
"Your help or that of this Carius would be most useful. Now I am willing to offer lordship over the mortal realms and immortality to you two or any others who help me, once Zeus is defeated and I am in power."
Venta had been sitting there in stunned silence. When this 'Ares' had first implied he and Coelia were gods, he had thought it was just an attempted scam to get him to back off on the treason charge against Coelia. But then the tossing of Coelia into the air as though she weighed no more than a baseball, and the defeat of his troops in the blink of the eye, and finally the big bite taken out of his own sword, the one he had been carrying for the past three years. How had this 'Ares' accomplished all of these things in a matter of seconds? He couldn't be a god since everyone from the 20th century knew they didn't exist. But then what was he? How had he done those things? If he could do those things, were his offers of immortality and control of the world possible?
Clark could see the wavering in Venta's eyes. Time for the other blast to fully shake his confidence and control.
Clark looked over at Chloe, gave a quick wink, and said, "Aphrodite, you have spent hundreds of years living among the mortals, and have the gift of SIGHT. Perhaps it is best if you explain the rest."
Venta looked over at Coelia and saw her nod at Ares' statement and then watched as her eyes rolled up into her head until only the whites were showing.
She sat there humming softly for thirty seconds before closing her eyes and shaking violently for at least ten seconds. As her body finally stilled, she opened her eyes and tough, battle-hardened Venta let out a gasp of horror. Her eyes were solid pools of crimson red with small trickles of blood seeping from the corners. For an instant Venta thought he was looking directly into the portals of hell.
Then she began to speak and it was even worse. The voice was not that of the Coelia he knew, but the low, raspy sound the dead always made in the horror movies of his youth.
There he sat, a grown man in broad daylight and suddenly it felt like he was trapped in some long forgotten nightmare.
"Sven Torsnes, let me explain things in the terms of your world of science, so you may understand," began Chloe.
'My god,' thought Venta. 'How does she know my real name?'
"The world of the Greek Gods is located in a universe parallel to this planet earth. Previously, only the most powerful of the Greek Gods could open doorways between the universes, but now a new force has entered this world. When Professor Carey's diabolical device opens a wormhole from the future, a harmonic wormhole opens between this universe and that of the Greek Gods."
Chloe's voice was getting fainter and fainter. Both Venta and Clark, who was almost as shocked by Chloe's performance as Venta, found themselves leaning forward as she said the final words. "The green stones are the key."
Then suddenly her head sagged forward as her eyes closed. After about ten seconds she raised her head, gave it several tiny shakes, and opened her eyes. They had returned to their normal clear, light green and if not for the small drops of drying blood near the corners, her otherworldly trance would have seemed a figment of Venta's overworked imagination.
"Ahh," said Chloe with her voice returned to its normal rich soprano. "Things are much clearer now. The SIGHT always is clearest when the subject is present."
After giving Venta a new appraising once over inspection with a curious glimmer in her eye, Chloe said. "This thing called . . . ahh . . . science that mortals will develop in the future is very interesting. Particularly the way it can reproduce some of the gifts of the gods."
Turning towards Clark, Chloe continued in a more excited tone. "Ares, my earlier SIGHT was right! Well, mostly right. It is not these two mortals that are the potential key to victory, but rather something they possess. In the distant future, about 2000 years from now, mortals will develop a device that can open doorways between different times on Earth, in the same way Zeus and the old Gods can open doorways between the Godly Planes and Earth. However, at the same time it is opening a doorway between the different times on Earth the device also opens a second doorway between a random spot on the earth and a random spot in the Godly Planes. The other man we seek, Antonius Octavius Carius, has been opening doorways off-and-on for the past 50 years, but apparently the one you used six months ago is the first one that has opened where anyone was present."
Clark appeared to ponder this for a few seconds. "If the doorways to the other realm are random, I don't see how that helps us."
"Ahh, but the key to the device are special green stones. These stones that power the device are not from the Earth, but from some other realm. And from my SIGHT it is clear that any God who possesses these stones can use his WILL to control where the doorways between the Earth and the Godly Planes open. Any God. You, me, Apollo, Hermes, any of us. Perhaps it is something like these stones that is the secret of Zeus' and the Old God's powers!"
Appearing to mutter under his breath, Clark said. "With the power of the Old Gods, I can take Olympus from Zeus and then we'll see how he likes Tartarus."
Turning to Venta, Clark stated, "I will stand behind my former offer. To whoever delivers these green stones to me and aids me in defeating Zeus, I will grant lordship over the mortal realm and the gift of immortality. Let us drink to success."
As the three of them were raising their mugs, the man who had been sitting under the nearby tree quietly climbed to his feet. As he walked towards Clark and the others he removed his oversized straw hat. A gasp went through the crowd, which had surrounded them and had been following conversation with baited breathe. Following the collective gasp was hurried bowing of heads and murmurs of 'Your Majesty'.
Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus had been the Emperor of the Roman Empire for a little over a month, but had developed the habit of traveling incognito long before his ascension to the imperial purple. Even when he was only one of many potential successors to Tiberius, he never fully trusted his advisors to ferret out all the real or imagined attempts against his life and had started his own secret activities to look for hidden plots.
Today he had been planning to spy on a pair of senators as they left the senate he suspected of treason when he noticed the exchange between Venta, the second in command of his Praetorians, and these other two. He had just gotten close when all of the action began. When the girl was tossed into the air, he had been one of the few to keep his eyes on the man instead. The man who had just blurred and disappeared while all of the soldiers were crumpling to the ground.
Now the exchange between these three appeared to be ending and if he was going to get any additional information, it had become necessary to make his presence known.
As he approached, the three rose to their feet and Venta properly bowed his head, but the other two gave the merest of nods. Ares began to speak when the woman cut him off.
Speaking in a low voice that the four of them could hear, but would not carry to the crowd, the woman said. "Greetings to a fellow God, Gaius Caesar Augustus Germanicus, however I have the gift of SIGHT and the time is not yet auspicious to publicly acknowledge your divinity."
Caligula beamed at this acknowledgement of his Godhood, which he had always known, but hadn't yet proclaimed. He was thrilled to finally meet two of his equals.
Smiling almost shyly, he asked in a soft, nearly effeminate voice, "You appear to know me, but we have not been properly introduced."
"Of course, how rude of me," answered Chloe. "This is Ares, he has just returned to the mortal realm after six hundred years in Hades. I am Aphrodite. I have lived among mortals for thousands of years, but like you I have been under a mandate to pass as a mortal. In this present era I am known as Coelia Doinysia Flavius and, if you remember, we met briefly at Emperor Tiberius' birthday celebration last year. For me, the mandate to hide my true identity was lifted with the return of Ares. For you, my SIGHT tells me the mandate will be lifted after you assume personal command of the Army of the Rhine, however today is not yet that day."
"I could feel your presence under that tree, Gaius," said Clark in a more normal tone that could be overheard by the nearer members of the crowd. "And earlier during the confrontation. I tried not to seriously damage any of your loyal soldiers, as I hoped we may end up as allies. Tell me, did you follow the conversation we had with Venta here?" And as he said his name, Clark clapped his arm down hard onto Venta's shoulders causing his knees to buckle and he almost collapsed to the ground. "Sorry, old man, sometimes I forget my strength. It wouldn't do for me to hurt you, now that we are going to be working together."
Caligula was nodding in response to Clark's question. "Yes, yes. It is all so exciting. You must tell me more about Hades and Olympus."
"I would be happy to tell you all about them. And if you will aid me in my quest to rescue my comrades and overthrow Zeus, well, I think a long pleasant visit to Mount Olympus could be arranged for you. As for Hades, the portions I have experienced are not a nice place to visit, but I will be happy to describe them in detail."
"Actually visit Mount Olympus?" Asked Caligula trembling with delight. "Of course, I will do anything I can to help you."
Clark put on a big broad smile. "Excellent. This is not the most relaxing, comfortable location for the telling of long stories. Aphrodite and I were planning on visiting the Circus Maximus for the chariot races this afternoon. Chariot Races, a true sport of the Gods. Perhaps we could meet you there and continue this conversation."
"Oh, that would be most wonderful," responded Caligula. "My personal champion, Calpurnius Piso, will be driving for the Greens in the final race. You must join me in the imperial box and after the races we will have a celebratory feast."
Clark inclined his head. "You are a most gracious and generous host. I look forward to seeing you this afternoon. Come, Aphrodite," and Clark held out his arm to Chloe.
Clark and Chloe started to leave when Clark stopped and turned back towards Venta and said with his hardest, most menacing tone. "Venta, I expect prompt action on the things we discussed. Mortals who displease me quickly feel my wrath." Then Clark and Chloe turned and swept out of the Forum as majestically as possible.
After they had walked for several minutes and turned several corners Clark let out a deep sigh and said in English so they wouldn't be overheard. "Wow that was intense."
"Yeah," agreed Chloe. "Where the hell did you come up with all of that Greek Mythology? It went way beyond what we discussed yesterday. Not that I am complaining, when you started rattling off all of the names of those Gods and described your exile to Tartarus, it sent chills through my bones."
Clark grinned. "After our conversation at the baths instead of our normal Latin lesson with Cyrus, I had him give Lana and me a lecture on Greek Mythology instead. Particularly about Hades and which of the Gods and heroes were still alive at the end of all of the fables. I mean if a bunch of them were still alive, what happened to them? It seemed if our story made reference to more than just the two of us, it would be more believable."
"Yeah, that has been my experience. If you make the scam convoluted enough, the mark is so busy looking for minor inconsistencies that he overlooks that the whole thing is an illusion. Of course, with some of the things you did I don't know what other explanations Venta is going to be able to come up with other than that you are a God. When you tossed me up into the air, it was so unexpected and scary. Clark, are you really a God?"
Clark shrugged. "No more than you. I mean when you went into that trance and your eyes were solid pools of blood. Way too freaky, I thought you had hurt yourself."
"Well, I can't totally change my appearance like Amy could, but I can do minor tricks like that eye thing. It took a long time for me to work around the built-in safeties of the 'bot system to allow temporary self- inflicted injuries when it is necessary. Fortunately, all the eye trick requires is momentarily increasing the blood pressure in a couple of key arteries in the eyes to cause them to rupture and cover the surface of my eyes with blood. Then once I am finished and close my eyes, the 'bots quickly breakdown the excess blood and repair the damaged arteries. I have used this ploy a number of times down through the millennia when I needed to play the role of oracle or mystic."
"So that eerie voice was another part of the same act?"
Chloe nodded. "Yeah, all though that is just a matter of a lot of practice at voice control. You would be amazed at some of the skills you can mastery with enough years of practice. But then most people can't allocate eight hours a day for three hundred years to truly master one skill. Now I don't have the range to do most men convincingly, but with women, well check this out."
Chloe paused for a moment and then said in a perfect replica of Martha Kent's voice. "Clark Hudson Kent get your butt out of that bed right now. You are going to miss the bus again."
Clark stopped walking, turned, and just stared at her. Then he closed his eyes and after a few seconds Chloe could see a couple of big tears starting to form. Chloe stepped up and pulled Clark into the tightest hug that she could, realizing her mistake that if she was going to mimic someone's voice she should have done Lana and not his Mom.
"Clark, I am so sorry. I didn't think," she said as she felt the tears welling up in her own eyes.
Clark hugged her back. "I miss seeing my Mom and Dad so much and then that voice. I think this is the longest I have ever gone without seeing them. And Pete, too. I just so want to go home to Smallville."
"Me, too, Clark. Me, too," said Chloe slowly stroking his back remembering again that Clark for all of his great powers and gifts was only a sixteen- year-old boy on his first great adventure. "Hopefully, after the encounter we just had we are a lot closer to obtaining the meteor rocks and can be on our way home."
"Do you really think Venta bought the story?" asked Clark as he dried his eyes and then took Chloe's hand before turning once more in the direction of Chloe's estate.
"I don't know, Clark. It is very hard for someone from modern times to accept things like Greek Gods. I just hope the subtle reference to parallel universes put that little hint of science into the equation that will make it seem plausible. Plus I can't see how they can explain away your couple of stunts even with 21st century science.
"And then there is the whole lucky stroke of Caligula being there. He definitely believes we are Gods, I could see it in his eyes," said Chloe. "He may be able to help us retrieve the meteor rocks, but can definitely help us stop the General and his army of the Rhine."
"I did notice you work that into your conversation."
"Yeah, well, Caligula really will execute at least one general of the Rhine Army and he does ultimately proclaim his Godhood after personally leading that army for awhile, so all of the things I told him will come true eventually. So I don't think anything I said will disrupt the timeline."
"Do you think we can depend on Caligula? He doesn't strike me as being too stable," asked Clark.
"Oh, he is a classical case of delusional paranoia with just a light layering of schizophrenia. If we handle this correctly, he shouldn't be any problem."
Clark just stared at her.
"What, don't you believe I know anything about clinical psychology? I will have you know I was the personal secretary to both Freud and Jung at various times during their lives and I did learn a thing or two."
Clark just shook his head at learning one more new facet of Chloe's remarkable background. Finally, he asked, "What about Lex and Lana? They are supposed to go with us to the chariot races this afternoon."
They walked in silence for several blocks as Chloe thought. Finally she answered. "I guess this is where it starts to get tricky, bringing them partway into this cover story without telling them everything. Particularly after your very public display of your powers. Word of this 'Ares' will spread through Rome like wildfire and will probable even reach my estate before we do. Once we explain our new cover names of Ares and Aphrodite, Lex is likely to put two and two together."
"Damn," said Clark. "I knew as soon as I tossed you into the air I should have gone with a different approach. I could have just as easily appeared to have fought and beat the soldiers in speed mode. The other things could have been explained away to Lex as sleight of hand or 21st century science."
"Clark, it is too late to waste time on second thoughts now. What's done is done. Plus, we really needed several truly unexplainable things, if we have any hope of convincing Venta."
Here Chloe paused for a moment, then said, "One thing though, Clark. You might want to practice that whole toss and catch thing a few more times before you try it with anyone else."
Clark looked at her with a dawning expression on his face. "Oh my god, did I hurt you?"
Chloe held up a hand. "Just a couple of cracked ribs. No, no. It's not a big deal, I am fully recovered. Just try to be a little gentler if you have to do something like that with Lana or Lex."
Clark nodded in a somewhat subdued way as he struggled with the fact that his little stunt, which at first had seemed so brilliant, had only ended up complicating everything and causing the woman he loved some unnecessary pain.
"Come on, Clark. It is not that big of a deal. Cheer up and let's figure out what to tell Lex and Lana," said Chloe. And then knowing what would cheer up any sixteen-year-old boy, she continued. "When we get back to the estate, I will have to pick out something appropriate to wear for an 'official' meeting with the emperor. Could I suggest a little Victoria's Secret style fashion show to help you decide what I should wear?"
Clark grinned, grabbed Chloe's hand, and set off at a brisk pace back towards her fabulous estate.
End of Chapter 25