From the woods, Roger glanced up toward a tall green hill where a white temple stood, shining in the sunlight. Tall white column rows surrounded the house-shaped structure above stone steps. It looked very new and white, like polished stone.

"Which temple is that?" He asked the three-headed beast woman standing behind him.

"I am not sure," said Labda.

"I hope it is the temple of Ares," said Katina with a devilish grin. "He will help us for sure."

Roger glanced up toward Katina. "Why Ares?"

“He is our god. Our queens are his daughters, born with his divine blood. If anyone messes with us, he will come and kick all their asses. Hahahaha!"

"But we haven't seen him in ages," said Cilla.

Katina growled. "Don't you dare doubt his power!"

Labda shook her head. "It doesn't matter which god we pray to. One of them will help us to protect the future. They will know everything."

Katina rolled her eyes. "Whatever."

The duo followed the dirt trail up the hill and entered the white marble structure. They reached an enormous empty chamber with a giant white statue standing at the center.

Roger studied the statue of a bearded man in white robes, holding a bolt of lightning up toward the domed ceiling. Obviously, he could tell who the statue represented.

Katina widened her red eyes at the statue. "Zeus? This is Zeus's temple?"

Labda glared at her. "What do you think?"

Katina moaned. "I want to meet Ares….."

"I told you it doesn't matter. Zeus is the ruler of the gods at Mount Olympus. He knows everything."

Roger turned toward the beast women. "How do we call him?"

"We must pray to him. It might take time, but he will hear our call soon."

"How?"

Katina pointed her claw at him. "Take your clothes off and dance around the statue."

Roger dropped his mouth.

"Nah! I'm kidding!" Katina laughed.

"I'll do the pray," Labda hissed. "We sit on our knees and bow to the statue. Then we wait until a miracle happens."

"Okay." Roger placed the bident down and kneeled while the beast women bowed on all-fours. Their snorts touched the marble floor.

"O Zeus, god of lightning and justice, please answer our prayers," Labda whispered. "We need your present so you can help our needs. Please come in person."

Silence engulfed the entire chamber. Only the wind whispered outside.

Labda cleared her throat. "O Zeus, god of lightning and justice, please answer our prayers," Labda whispered. "We need your present so you can help with our needs. Please come in person."

This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road. If you spot it on Amazon, please report it.

Still, no answer came.

Katina hissed and looked up. "Is he deaf?"

"Quiet!" Cilla hissed. "He won’t come if you insult him."

"I can insult anyone! Not even the gods can scare me-"

"Sorry! Sorry!" A deep-throated voice echoed from the statue. His otherworldly tone sounded like he was speaking through a giant microphone. "I was taking a long dump. My ambrosia didn't sit well inside my bowels."

The beast women rose onto their knees, looking confused.

"Are you Zeus?" Cilla asked.

"Yes! I am the mighty Zeus!" the voice roared, shaking the floor. A thunderclap echoed outside. "Speak before I have to take another poop!"

Roger chucked, but he covered his mouth. Angering the god will keep his trap in the past forever.

"Forgive us Zeus, but we need your help," said Labda. "We need you to take us to Mount Olympus."

"Olympus? No mortal can step foot on Olympus! What kind of fool are you?"

"Please, let us explain. We are not ordinary mortals. We are Cerberus, the guardians of the Gate of Acheron. Katina, Cilla, and myself, Labda."

"We have a mortal with us too, named Roger," Cilla added. "He is our companion."

Zeus's voice hummed. "Oh! You are Hades’s new guard dog! What are you doing here? Explain before I summon my brother!"

"It is a long story, but you have to listen," Labda explained. "If you don't, your future will be in grave danger."

Zeus laughed. "Saying the gods' future is very hubris. Explain before I change my mind."

Labda took a deep breath and told Zeus everything. Sometimes Katina and Cilla cut in, but Labda shrugged them to stay quiet. The god needed to know everything, even if they sounded ridiculous.

After an hour or so, the beast women sat down to rest while Zeus remained silent.

"Now do you understand?" Labda asked.

Zeus's voice yawned. "Amazing tale, but if what you said is true, Medusa can ruin the timeline. And you being here can jeopardize everything."

"Will you help us?" Labda asked.

"Hmmmmmmm, first I must visit Hades to see if your counterpart is at the gate. But do not worry. I will not tell Hades. This is the only way to discover if you are telling the truth."

Labda nodded. "How long will it take?"

"Not long, unless he gives me grief. Wait in the temple until you hear my voice again."

"Very well. We shall wait, O mighty Zeus."

Another thunder clapped outside. Then the temple returned to silence.

Roger and the Cerberus women sat down, keeping their eyes on the statue.

"So we are waiting on our asses again?" Katina asked.

Labda shrugged. "Hopefully not forever."

Roger wished he had a cellphone to play a mobile game. But without a power source in ancient Greece, the cellphone won't last.

After an hour or so, thunder clapped outside, shaking the entire temple.

“I’m back!” Zeus’s voice roared from the statue, pushing Roger and the beast women off their butts.

“What took you so long?” Katina shouted, standing up onto her bare feet.

“Hades invited me to a barley drink when I arrived. I couldn’t reject his offer without being rude.” Zeus cleared his throat. “I hurried our conversation as possible after I observed his gate.”

“Did you see our counterparts?” Labda asked.

“Yes, and you weren’t pleased to see me. I ran before one of you tried to bite my rear.”

Katina giggled. “We hated visitors since Hades turned us.”

“So you will help us?” Labda asked.

“I believe it is logical, but why do you wish to enter my home?” Zeus asked.

“We need to meet Chronos, the god of time.”

“We know he can send us back to the future with his powers,” Cilla added.

Zeus groaned. “Chronos is indeed the most powerful god from the cosmos. He can see all time and travel to different ages. I never saw him travel through time with mortals, but I never questioned his power. If you want to meet him, you must perform a single favor for the fate of all gods.”

Roger rose next to the beast women. “What favor?”

“I want you to find my son, Heracles. He is missing from my vision.”

Katina widened her red eyes. “Are you shitting us!?"