Book 3: War for Syracuse
Book 3: Episode 8: The Day the Sun rose Twice
Posiedon and Athena, meet in Olympos, before Zeus. Both are arguing over the coming conflict.
“You may hold a domain with war, but your domain does not include deceit!” Poseidon shouted.
“My wisdom is the greatest of the Olympians, It is you that has been partaking in deception!” Athena said, in a quick back and forth between the Gods.
“I made an agreement with Zeus, you are going directly against my agreement, and thus Zeus!”
“Your actions have been against me all along! All this for some mortal sons of yours to gain notoriety rather than Arete?”
Zeus interrupts the bickering Gods.
“I will not have this nonsense plaguing the sanctity of this palace! The mortal war was bound to happen, and I will not deny my brother’s involvement, nor yours daughter Athena!”
The two don’t look away from each other, staring each other down angrily. The contest of the two gods has been known for a long time since the founding of Athens, their rivalry had taken them both to the Earth and their fight was taken to an island that was freshly created for this purpose, away from the watchful eye of Zeus; the island of Malta. They staged a duel, and came to a draw, Hermes determined it a victory for Athena, but Posiedon nearly sank the island in anger.
Zeus spoke, with power and annoyance, “I will not take a side on this brother, but the fate of your sons is not yours to meddle with, I already see one will be famous!”
Poseidon, angrily denies that, “You’ve really outdone yourself here brother, with that nonsense!”
“No, it’s true! Do not let your anger distort the truth! This conflict will have a son of Posiedon gain fame and glory!”
Athena interrupted, “Do not pander to him, father! I know his son will only cause pain and desolation!” The two Gods nealy come to blows, Zeus steps between them.
“Brother! Leave Olympos! We shall let the mortals decide this quarrel! Just as Athens was named!”
The sun rose, and the nobles of Syracuse gathered at the palace, taking seats at the royal banquet. Kal entered the palace; stiff and anxious for finally revealing who he is to everyone. Kalos and Aegeus await their signal. “When the sun rises twice” is the signal, as Kal told Este. With everyone seated, The False King stands, after making a sacrifice in Posiedon’s honor, he begins his announcement.
“Friends and Honored Guests, I thank you for joining your King at this feast. I am here to tell you all I have been deceiving you. This woman is not my wife, but a mistress from a distant kingdom.”
The nobles all talk amongst themselves.
“However, her father has allowed me to marry her! We are expecting an heir to the throne very soon!”
The crowd all clapped and cheered for the announcement, Kal sat, mad and just waiting to begin the end.
“But, this isn’t all about me, for my most honored guest, Kal, Son of Marcus!”
Kal gasped, he hadn’t mentioned his adoptive father, and leaned in closer with hate burning in his eyes.
The False King continued, “He slew the boar that had been a pest since my predecessor, and gained the mighty shield of Athena!” The crowd all looked over and murmured.
“Kal, I think now is a good time to be truly honest, since you have been lying to me.”
Kal didn’t budge.
“I was warned, by the Oracle, that one day a man who wielded a wooden shield would be my downfall, and I thought that ridiculous!” The False King laughed, and the crowd did awkwardly.
“I had cheated fate before, with my first born years ago. But then I heard about an Argonaut who beat an Amazon with a wooden Shield…I thought no way, and prepared ever since for his arrival.” The King reached into a bucket, which a servant put on the table. “I noticed the other day that you, Kal, had a wooden shield on your back…”
At that moment, Kal stood, both men staring the other down. The room went silent, and still.
“How did it feel, to know of your false father’s death?”
Kal’s fists were clenched, his expression grew more and more furious.
“I still recall sending my sword through his gut. An unceremonious death for a lesser man. Pity, if he only knew that his son abandoned his heroic duties to spend years on an island drinking his sorrows away. Perhaps if he hadn’t revealed your name and had stayed a quiet old fisherman, he would be alive to have warned you to stay out of my way.”
Kal did not say a word, instead drew his sword and shield, the shield shone a great light which shot out the palace, a grand beacon to the armies. A light twice as bright as the morning sun.
Kal proclaimed, “I am Kal, son of Marcus, Argonaut and friend to Athena! I am here to reveal that you are a false king!” The crowd was in shock, everyone was talking to each other, some nobles left the table. “My quest, is to kill this False King and free the city of Syracuse!”
“So you know the truth, I was told by Posiedon himself that you would.” The False King pulls a trident from the bucket, covered in muscles and sea grass. He slides his hand along it and wipes it to reveal a shiny, deadly weapon.
“I hope that shield was worth it” The false king said, as he threw the trident at Kal, who blocked with the shield, and flew back to the False King’s hands. They both jump into the table and lunge at each other, their weapons crossing and clashing, sending sparks onto the table. They exchange blows. Outside the palace, the Alliance of Athena charges the gates, both armies clashing at the walls. King Aegeus leads warships into the harbor, sinking any who oppose, Kalos leads the army on the ground. Kal and the King continued to exchange blows, one after the other. The trident is thrown, blocked, throwing Kal back. The False King shouts in anger, relentlessly beating down Kal. Athena’s shield holding strong, energy from both godly weapons sprouting from the clashes in brilliant displays of blue and white. Poseidon and Athena watch patiently of the outcome of the fight. Kal’s enhanced strength keeps him from tiring during the fight.
The False King, in a manic tone and wide-eyed, said “I can bend Fate to my own design Kal! Can you say the same? “
Kal and the False King exchange more blows, blue bursts of whimsical light thrusts from each blow with the trident, and each blow blocked has bursts of white from each strike. The two men keep pace with the other. The battle rages all day, night falls, Dionysos’ drink begins to dissipate, the False King has not lost energy, gaining energy from the Trident, and more and more sea muscles and sea moss on his skin. The two are blown back from each other, which is when The False King throws his trident and severs the sword from Kal’s hand, He only loses a finger. Kal is tired, he can feel his strength gone with the daylight.
The False King continued, “When I killed your father, he told me where he found you, and back then it occurred to me where the connection was, and the same one I felt when we met. I was told of a prophecy, where my first son would be my downfall.”
Kal then began shaking his head in denial. “Don’t attempt to decieve me!”
The False King throws his trident, again blocked by a tired Kal, who drops to his knees.
“That boy survived, by a twist of fate, and was raised by a fisherman, that same boy became a hero aboard the Argo, the very same boy who would leave it all behind on Leminos” The False King, maniacally stated.
Kal denied it, “You cannot lie to me!” He charged the false King, knocking him back, and used the shield to cut him, using the sharp edge.
The False King blocks with the trident, and the two are knocked back.
“You cannot deny your heritage Kal! We are sons of Poseidon! We are denied our birthright by Zeus and his selfish sons!” The False King cackled.
“You are mad!” Kal throws the shield, which the False King knocked away, and it returns to Kal. Kal falls to his knees again, exhausted.
The battle raged on, Kalos slew hundreds of Syracusians, King Aegeus boarded a hundred ships, and the Alliance armies were as motivated as ever, with Athena on their side. King Aegeus begins helping enemy soldiers switch sides, as they accept the truth. The light and magic of the fight in the palace can be seen across the entire city. Kalos had his men take the city square, Kalos stood tall above it after he slayed allegedly two hundred men alone.
The False King throws his trident once more, and Kal takes the trident to the chest. It penetrates, some blood spilling from him, it returns to the False King; his face partially covered in Sea moss and muscles, his skin going a pale blue; blood running from his head and across his body. Water begins dripping from him.
“Kal, you cannot beat me, and you know this”, the False King stands above Kal’s tired body.
The False King put the trident to his neck, and said: “The Gods didn’t protect me from you, nor protect you from me.” He raises his trident, to send into Kal’s neck.
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