Chapter 11 Cerberus
Alexander was pacing his room. He was worried about what had Hades got planed for him and what he meant three heads was better than one.
He stopped pacing and went to sit he lent his elbow on the table top and being to chew on his thumbs
"Where are they?" he thought as he tapped his knuckles together
Achilles and Patroclus had gone back to the fields to pick up some stuff that Alexander will need.
He couldn't think straight his thought were of Hephaistion at the mercy of these foul things.
Suddenly the door open and in came Achilles and Patroclus came in carrying a huge chest.
They put in on the floor and encourage Alexander to open in and look inside, Alexander stood up and crouched down in front of the chest and open it.
Inside were armour and a silver Corinthian helmet with a red plume. Alexander picked up the muscle shaped breastplate and held in in front of himself, it fitted him perfectly also there were greaves for his arms and legs.
Achilles held put a sword and shield, Alexander hated using shields but he got the feeling he was going to need one.
The scabbard was red leather, Alexander pulled out the sword. It's handle and blade was polished silver around the handle was a rope like design and the pommel had an image of an owl that amethyst for eyes.
The shield to was polished silver and the same rope like design ran all the way around the rim and in it centre was the owl with amethyst for eyes.
"Made by the blacksmith to the gods and a gift from Athena." said Achilles
They were interrupted by one of Hades misshaped creatures, Alexander felt the rage building up inside him and only Achilles hand on his shoulder stopped him from attacking the creatures.
"Lord Hades is ready for you." it whizzed
Alexander nodded and the creature left him to get ready.
He put on the breastplate over his tunic and added the greaves, he left off the helmet he bucked the sword to his side and picked up the shield. He began to get the nervous but excited feeling he always got before a battle, the challenge was to be held in an area yet he still had no idea what it was.
Achilles and Patroclus walked him to the great doors of the area.
"Good luck." they both said
Alexander put of the helmet and found it to be very uncomfortable and was about to go in to the area when Patroclus stopped him.
"Here," he said his voice muffled by the helmet, "Use these."
He took Alexander hand in his and placed three honey cakes, behind the helmet Alexander's face was a mask of puzzlement
"Trust me." was all he said before scurrying off after Achilles.
As soon as Alexander entered the area the doors where closed and locked behind him. The audience was made up of hundreds and thousands of those misshapes creatures, they were laughing cheering some were fighting over scraps of raw meat. Hades was sat in a high back black chair with a red cushion and sat either side of him was Achilles and Patroclus.
He moved farther into the area taking out his sword as he moved. He stood in centre of the area and lifted up his sword and pointed it at Hades.
Hades acknowledged him with curt node then signal for the other set of doors to be open and the challenge to begin.
The ground shook as something came out of the gloom and Alexander had to roll out the way as he was almost crushed by a giant paw.
Now Alexander finally understood what Hades meant when he said three heads were better than one, Hades reached over to stoke the Jackal head closes to him causing the other two snap at it in jealously.
"Now now my beauty," he said as he turned his attention to the others "There is your enemy."
Alexander gulp as six pairs of glowing orange eyes turned to look at him. He turned to run by one of the giant paws swiped at him and pinned him down. Alexander tried to get out but was stuck, luckily he still had his sword he stabbed the paw, Cerberus howled in pain causing stuff to fall from the ceiling.
Alexander ducked and rolled to avoid the rain of rocks, there was nowhere to run as Cerberus attacked it would swipe at him with it's paws and every time he tried to run passed it he was confronted by one of it heads.
He put up his shield as the left head sent acid drops out of its mouth. Alexander could hear it hissing and fizzing on the top of the shield he peeked out over the rim and found the shield still intact.
The centre head came in for an attack and Alexander swiped at it catching it across the muzzle causing it to howl and sent more rocks falling form the ceiling.
Alexander put up his shield; the impact of the rocks battered him to the ground.
There was a pause it the fall and Alexander jumped up and took cover under Cerberus, he tried reaching it soft under belly with his sword but he couldn't if when he jumped.
Cerberus put all three heads onto the ground and began to sniff and Alexander moved as it moved.
He suddenly had a thought he pulled out the honey cakes that Patroclus had given him.
He throw one to the left and the left jackal head saw it and pulled the other two heads causing them to yelp in frustration. He throw the other one of to the right and almost got knocked over as the right jackal head lent forward to take the honey cake. He finally throw the last one to the centre head causing the other two to look up and snap at it.
Alexander put away his sword and put the shield on his back and ran forward grabbing hold of the tail and began to climb up it.
It was a difficult climb as the tail swished from side to side as the three head attacked each other but he finally reached the top of the beast. He slowly climb along the beast spine but almost feel off as they left and the right head attacked the centre head he held on to the thick black fur and swung himself back up on its back.
He made his way to the base of the neck of the centre jackal head and shakily stood up.
Suddenly the head stopped attacking each other and the huge beast collapsed to the floor in a deep sleep Alexander repositioned himself and held up his sword high above his head.
Suddenly Hades stood up
"STOP!" he yelled "You win."
Alexander ignored him and continued to bring the sword down.
Achilles stood up "He said stop!" he said in aloud voice that made even Patroclus flinched
Alexander stopped and climbed down he took off his helmet and stared at Achilles with anger he felt that they had given him a hollow victory.
When the door was open and the sleeping Cerberus was dragged away Alexander stormed out the room ignoring them both.
Back in his room he threw the helmet and anything he could get his hands on across the room, there was a knock on the door.
"Go away!" he yelled not caring who it was
But the door open and in came Patroclus, Alexander stopped throwing things and turn to look at him
"I said Go away!" he said
"Not till you listen to me" Patroclus replied
"Speak." Alexander demanded
Patroclus cleared his throat "You did well out there."
Alexander dropped the jug that he had been holding "Then why do I feel cheated hmmmm."
"Achilles stopped you becauseā¦.. You see Hades loves that animal more than anything and if you killed it image what he would do to Hephaistion."
Alexander snorted with laughed "it can't be any worse than what he going through now."
"Believe me it can." Patroclus replied
Something in Alexander snapped it wasn't a bad thing it was a good think and before he could stop the words coming out he said them anyway
"You are so much like him." he said " You are right."
He put the jug that he was about to throw and he moved closer to Patroclus and pulled him into a hug
"Thank you," he said " I almost made the biggest mistake of my life."
