Chapter 13 the Labyrinth
Author's note This will by the last chapter that I get to post before I go away for a few days but I will be back soon with the final two or three chapters.
PL
The task was simply go in find Hephaistion then find the way out again yet as Alexander stood in front of he entrance to the formable labyrinth he could not help but wonder what sinister plain Hades had in store for him and Hephaistion.
He was dress in his silver armour and had his sword and shield with him; he also had attached to the belt around his waist a pouch giving to him by the heroes containing a few items.
Hades was stood to one side he held the two dogs on a chin lead and stood with him was Achilles and Patroclus.
Alexander took one look at the small company then sighed and stepped into the darkness he stopped and looked over his shoulder as the doors were closed and locked.
He took out the torch from it's holder by the door and looked around, in front of him there was three entrance. He reached behind him and into the pouch and pulled out some thread and attached to the empty holder then he closed his eyes and listened very carefully, he could hear nothing so he listened closely again this time he heard what he was listening out for. He ran forward and in to the right hand passage way.
Hephaistion sat up and looked around, they had taken him away from the furies which they were not happy about, they had hissed and spat at the creature that had come to take him away and it beat them with his pipe sending them weeping as they flew to safety and then had shot him again with the dart.
When it finally wore off he was in a cave very similar to the one he had arrived in, at first he thought he had been put back on the other side still covered in the black goo left by the furies as they touched him. He looked around him found him self confronted with three entrance ways.
He stood up "Hello!" he yelled "Alexander."
There was no reply but he got the feeling that he was not alone he stood up and put his hair behind his ears he just had a feeling to go down the right passage. A few seconds later something moved out of the shadows were it had been watching and being to follow Hephaistion.
As Alexander went along unwinding the thread as he went, he took many lefts and many rights and soon he found himself completely lost he doubled back to where he had taken a fork in the stone work but found it to be a dead end He pushed against it with his shoulder but it was sealed tight he took off his helmet and looked down. He found the thread had been cut.
He cursed out loud and slid down onto the ground and rested his head on his knees.
Mean while Hephaistion was stood in the middle of a room that had had four opening he spun around to look at each one of them. Yet again he pushed his hair behind his ears he called out "Hello."
Something was pulling him down the third passage way he looked over his shoulder; he got the feeling he was being watched and darted down then third passage way as did they shadow thing that was following him.
The passage was pitched black and went on forever Hephaistion use his hand to feel along the wall and was counting the number of steps. Finally the passage ended and he found himself in a round open space.
He walked round and round trying to find an exit there was none to be found. He stepped back and it was then that he noticed something curved into the stone.
It was in the shape of a hooded figure holding a lantern a pointing down. Hephaistion traced his fingers down pointing finger and crouched down and found a hole and at the end of the passage there was the glow of touch light. He was about to climb into the hole when something slammed into him from behind forcing him to the ground. He kicked out against the attacker but his foot came into contact with nothing. He jumped up and looked around there was nobody there then suddenly he was pushed down to the ground then it was gone again. And before he could get back up again he was pushed forward and something sat on him then he felt the cold clews being pushed into his back. The nameless shadow pushed it shadowy claws into it's prays back and then being to slide itself into the holes it had made it was going to use it's host to get of the labyrinth.
Hephaistion sat up he tried getting rid of thing inside but it spread until it had completely taken over.
Alexander looked up from where he had been resting his head against his knees, somebody had been calling his name it was so soft that he stood up and followed it.
It came from somewhere that he had been before but it had now opened out in a passage way. As he came close he stood on something rope like he shine his touched down he found he was stood on a snake he pulled his foot up and stepped on another and another. He shine his touch every where and found the ground to be covered in snakes. He stepped over each one some hissed at him as he went passed but they did not attack. He found himself in a room; it was out of place as it was beautiful decorated with gold's and reds and was lit by several lanterns and the smell of incense filled the room.
On every surface and all over the room snakes slithered or hung and sat in a chair in the shape of a cobra head was his mother.
She wore a red chriton that was cut in half and showed her midriff around her waist was a gold sash which was fastened at the top by a gold buckle. Her dark brown hair was pulled up and was held in place by a gold headdress that dangled down so that it ran into her hair. She had a gold bracelet in the shape of a coiled snake around her upper arm and her feet were bare and around her neck was a python.
"Mother what you are doing here?" he asked stepped over several snakes to move farther into the room
Olympias stood up and put the snake down and came to stand in front of him and pulled him into a hug "my son welcome home."
Alexander pulled away from her and looked around the entrance where he had come in had turned into a wall that had a huge chest in front of it. Alexander went over to it and moved it side he ran his hands all over it, it was a solid wall. Turned back to his mother who was watching him with a passive face.
"This isn't real none of this isn't here." he said under his breathe as he closed his eyes and paced up and down.
"I'm dead I'm dead."
Something moved next to him and he stopped and looked at his mother "You're not here either."
Olympias laughed "Of course I'm here you invited to Babylon don't you remember?" she asked
Alexander began to get angry "I never invited you," he said "Because your not really here now if you will excuse me I have go and find Hephaistion."
He ran to the wall and booting any snakes that got in his way and began to search for a release mechanism for the wall. He ignored his mother.
As he had brushed against something there was a low rumble and Alexander stepped back just as the wall slide back and he found himself in the drifty passage way of the labyrinth.
He turned around to smile in triumph at his fake mother but the smile faded when he saw what had taken his mother place. A huge snake with black diamonds sparkling along its back was now reared looking at him with reptilian eyes.
He caught him off guard and wrapped it self around him tightly
It brought its fork tongue closed to his face it hissed at him.
Alexander managed to get his hand out of the snake's coils and reached inside his pouch for the dagger. He pulled it he using all of his remaining strength to work his arm out and slash the serpent across the face.
It tighten it hold on Alexander then let go and slithered away.
He quickly ran away from the room hoping that that was the last he had seen of the huge serpent.
But he had been wrong it caught up with him just as he was making a decision wither to go left or right he stood.
He stood and faced it; it came charging through the corridor hissing as it came. There was enough room for him to position himself and rolled out of the way so that he was behind it he brought the sword down and slice at it. The snake whirled away and began to wrap it self around to come in for another attack. Alexander brought his sword down on it head taking clean off.
He stepped over the body of the dead serpent and continued to search for Hephaistion calling out his name.
The nameless shadow moved his host to the centre of the Labyrinth it had gone through his memory and found them to be jumbled but he had found some interesting ones, it particularly liked the blonde haired man and had thoughts of changing hosts. Hephaistion didn't like having this thing inside him he had tried to protest and regain the control of his body but the nameless shadow was too strong and it took him to the centre and the waited for Alexander.
After the battle with the Snake he had found himself he had abandoned the wool has he found that every time he got lost and double back it was always cut.
He was deciding where to go next when he heard a noise behind him. He turned around sharply and put his hand on his sword and drew it out slightly
"Come and show yourself!" he demanded
A figure came out of the passage he had just come from he was hooded Alexander pulled out his sword all the way and pointed it at the figure.
"I said show yourself." he asked again
"Why you would pointed a sword at your own father." said the figure pushing down his hood
Alexander almost fell over but someone caught him from behind and turned him around and he came face to face with Cleitus.
He stared wide eye at them both first his mother now this, they circled him and sometime they would nudge him as they passed
"You're not real," he said "Both of you are not real go away."
"Then this won't hurt," said Cleitus as he balled his hand into a fist and punched him in the gut. Alexander doubled over it did hurt; he could hear his father laughing as Cleitus kicked his legs out from under him and he landed in the floor.
"You always were weak and pathetic," Phillip said as he kicked him "I never wanted you."
Then Cleitus joined in screaming at him for killing him.
Alexander huddled in a ball he squeezed his eyes shunt and told them that they were not real and to go away and leave him alone.
He waited for the next blow but it never came he stayed where he was for a couple of seconds then he uncurled himself and found he was alone. He jumped up then began to run he could feel that the centre was close.
He had been right as he came closer to the centre he pulled out his sword and crept into the centre. He saw Hephaistion laid out on the floor, Alexander moved in to the room looking around just in case something was waiting for him and using Hephaistion as bait.
"Hephaistion." he whispered
The nameless shadow had been resting it opened the host eyes and smiled.
