Book 2: Episode 7 – The Darkening Skies
The False King went down to the shore, the light of Helios fell towards the horizon, that was when Posiedon appeared before him, from a wave.
“Greetings, my son!” The false king is confused
“I am your son?”
“Yes, have you not felt the sea call to you? Have you not felt at home near the water? Only my offspring share this trait. “
The False King was surprised, but his madness had made him feel even more powerful, and more of a target.
“Father, I need your power! My enemies are assembling and I cannot trust anyone! There’s this Hero, Kal, who has eluded me unlike all others before him who perished on impossible quests!” Poseidon is angered, a storm brewed.
“Do not let this man fool you, he will only bring destruction and desolation. You cannot let him leave. However, beware the man who wields a wooden shield; he is the harbinger of doom.”
Poseidon leaves, the tide engulfs the shore, and leaves a trident imbued with the properties of Poseidon’s power, the False King took it, without question, and went back to the palace.
Este and Kal are sharing a tender moment, in a short, brief period of peace within the turbulence that brews around them.
“Kal, What if our love is forbidden? What if we were meant to perish for this?”
Kal paused “I think it would be a fine cause for death, a worthy end to our tales”. The two lovers brace for the possibility of never seeing each other again.
Kal said “Don’t let this murderer sway you, your fate is not in his hands. Athena has spared me, and will grant us the strength for victory!”
Este smiled, but quickly faded back to sadness “I only hope we weather this storm, I do not wish to find myself in the cage the False King will parade around as spoils of war.”
Kal responded, “Fear not, I will not let you down, You have my word that I will return to you.” Este kissed him, the pair’s first. The two looked at each other and saw the coming storm.
“Este, tell me, have you seen the shield of Athena? It was stolen and kept here.”
Este takes a moment but remembers seeing it. The pair went and snuck back into the palace, made their way to the deepest room, where the king had kept a snarling huge boar to guard the shield. The boar was kept starving and in the dark. It saw the couple and roared.
“I wouldn’t mind some good boar for dinner! Come forth beast!” The room was in a roughly kept large hall, dimly lit and filled with the corpses of former heroes. Kal dodged the first charge and put his blade into the boar’s back. He was thrown back, and the boar relentlessly kept attacking Kal. One after the other, the boar’s tusks stabbed right into Kal’s armor, and Kal was more and more worn out. Kal refused to run and charged the beast. Kal jumped onto the head of the boar and put his sword into its skull. The Boar for a moment kept going, before charging into a wall, and finally fell dead. Kal retrieved his sword and the shield of Athena. When Kal touched the shield, Athena appeared before him, and with a warm smile congratulated him on his victory.
“Noble Kal, I am pleased to see you were the one to have won my shield!” She takes up the shield, brushing it off and revealing the details on it. The edges of the shield were thin and sharp, with a rope-like artwork along the circumference; the center of the shield featured an image of an Olive Tree, with the trunk made of the hilt of a blade. It shined with a brilliant light as Athena held it.
“I now give this to you, and with it, my protection. This wretched king must be vanquished!”
Kal accepted the shield but asked what Athena has at stake in this war.
“The False King is the son of the Vengeful Poseidon. He desires his son’s glory, no matter who stands in their way. Beware, he may have granted him gifts as well.”
Kal nodded and said, “I thank you, O’ Goddess Athena, Goddess of War and Wisdom.”
As Kal snuck back up, Este had gone, he searched the palace. The bedroom, the storehouse, the servant’s quarters, the armory. Kal went back out, and then towards the main doors of the Palace, and on the steps is where the False King greeted him.
“Kal! What brings you here so late?”
Kal, nervously, said, “I was actually coming to talk to you, I was wondering if you could provide some food for my crew?”
The False king laughed, “Of course Kal, but I got a visit from the Sea God himself! And with his wisdom I decided, I will be honest with you!” He laid a hand on Kal’s shoulder.
“I invite you to a banquet, in his honor, with the nobility of this town for a special announcement! I want you here with me, You did a great service with those Cyclops and now I heard that terrible boar!
Kal was shocked that he knew, he went wide-eyed.
“My lord, I was going to tell you in the morning-”
“Nonsense! I knew you were crafty, and I was actually looking for you to ask if you did something with that boar. My father had placed him there. Dreadful thing!”
Kal relaxed a bit but was still surprised.
“Well, you’re welcome my lord. When is this banquet?”
“In the morning, just after dawn!”
The two parted ways, Kal was anxious about the time finally coming. Kal returned to camp, had all the soldiers move into the ships, and readied them for battle. Before Kal went to sleep, Dionysos grabbed him and took him aside away from the troops.
“Kal, I’ve grown to tolerate you, unlike many mortals, so for that, I will say thank you. I have a gift for you.”
He reveals a glass of wine, which occasionally had a faint glow when disturbed.
“This is my ultimate creation; A potion of strength! Simply drink half, then pour the rest as a libation in my honor. You will be granted strength for a day and only a day. Once Helios goes back into his palace and when the light is gone, your strength will vanish.”
Kal nodded in acknowledgment. “Will you not join us on the field of battle?”
Dionysos stood on the cliff by the shore, looking out towards the dark clouds and storm racing towards them.
“Kal, I would follow you, without my Godhood I would fight by your side until the bitter end. But you’ve taught me that I cannot abandon my duties. I will remain your patron, friend.”
The two stare out, Kal examines his wooden shield, from adventures past. He then planted it firmly in the ground on the cliff.
“If it should be the end, then make this my grave. Here I honor the man I was, I think I have finally left Jason’s shadow.”
“You will cast your own shadow on this world Kal, it is your fate.” Dionysos said.
“No, it is my choice.”
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