Chapter 21

Gripping the deck of the boat with all his strength, he could feel the wood creek, and crackle, from the immense pressure. However, it did not break. Fwoosh! The longboat sped up to an insane degree, leaving the surroundings blurry, and indistinguishable. Attempting to pry him off the deck. His mind went blank, as he focused only on staying aboard.

The sound of thunder, and the crack of lightning, grew deafening, as the skies darkened, forming a series of new storms on the horizon. Taking up their father’s ire. A sure sign that Zeus was on his way.

Charon did not appear nervous or anxious. Only continuing his duties, like an experienced fisherman, and facing the growing storms. He had no excess movements, only focusing on what needed to be done. Crack! A lightning bolt strike struck out near the boat, as Charon expertly turned at the last second possible, narrowly escaping the blast.

Suddenly, Charon pulled his stave out of the water with both arms, and pushed it to the side of the boat, scooping and thrusting the pole upwards, like he did to propel the ship forward. Without warning, the ship took a 90 degree turn, barreling with white hot intensity downwards into, a deep, dark cavern, that grew humid, and hot.

Farther and deeper they went, until they entered a massive, yellow river. Sulfur vents were spread out as far as the eye could see, creating thick, yellow clouds, and fog, throughout the massive cavern, and obstructing his eyesight. The temperature was quickly rising, and vents of fire could be seen everywhere, on the ground, and on the waters surface.

Looking into the yellow river, he began to feel an overwhelming desire to walk into it. Fortunately, after the last encounter he had put his mental defenses on high alert, or surely something awful would have happened again. "Is he taking the most dangerous routes on purpose? It would make sense seeing who we are fleeing from." Anom thought to himself.

The cavern was growing hotter and hotter, as he began to see brief glimpses of ghostly beings, roaming the cavernous shoreline, outside of the river. Most appear humanoid in appearance, but a few were, exceptionally disturbing.

They moved forward for some time until they reached a enormous, blackened gate, blocking the river. In the center of the gate was a smaller doorway, with a massive amount of beings being lead through, in a line that did not appear to have an end.

Looking back to Charon, I asked with dread, “is this the underworld?” Chuckling with his wheezy, skeletal voice he replied to me. “Of course not. This is the underworlds entrance hehehe…”

Feeling the hairs on the back of his neck stick up, he began running all sort of probabilities in his mind, and thinking of what he could do if, for instance, "he simply left me here. But, he wouldn’t do that right? I mean he was already paid, and Athena seemed certain she could rely on him or she wouldn’t have taken the risk of sending me off with him… right?"

Feeling extremely uncertain and more than a little paranoid, they continued to float towards the gate, where he finally noticed on the right side of the gate, there was an indent into the mountain, in which the gate was built.

Inside of this massive crevice was a gargantuan, three headed dog, the size of a bull high neck! Gasping from his shock, he began to study the creature. The massive beast was definitely a dog, but not the same type of dog all the way through.

His left head looked like a black wolf head but much more muscular and ferocious with a single eye that was blinded and white most likely from an unknown fight. His body was covered in thick, coarse hair that had the same consistency of a porcupines quills.

He was unfortunate enough to see a person waiting in the line to pass the gate, get pushed out, from another, crueler person, and the three headed dog simply swung its tail into the group of people. It's thick hair quills pierced into the group, and held onto them, while the beast pulled its tail to its mouth, and devoured them all.

His right head looked like a black Cane Corso, only much more muscular and with metal teeth. This head looked bored and was trying to take a nap at the moment. The center head was truly bizarre as it appeared to be a black headed hyena dog.

This head was wild looking and seemed to revel in the massacre of the humans it devoured. Unlike the other two heads, it was much larger, and was constantly drooling some form of an acid. When it touched the ground, or anything else, it began to smoke and sizzle.

He was not sure if the other heads had anything similar to the acid, but the Cane Corso does possess two k-9 fangs, that have hollow centers. He was able to see them when it opened it mouth to eat.

The wolf also possessed a strange appendage, in the back of its throat, leading to its mouth, though, he do not know its purpose. The beast walked on four legs, similar to any other dog, however, its claws were bigger, sharper, and stronger than any other dogs or most other beasts he had seen.

Pulling alongside the beast, as we continued down the yellow river, Charon called out to the creature, getting its attention. “Pokol Kutya! I bring you your deepest wish!” The three heads to the massive dog turned towards our direction looking at the boat, Charon and finally examining me.

Thinking for a moment the wolf headed dog head began to speak, “What wish could we possibly have that a mere boatman would have the ego to claim to fulfill.” Calmly, Charon continued his discussion, without missing a beat. “The wish of your forefather, Cerberus, before he was cheated by the gods and humiliated by Hercules.”

Irritated, Pokol Kutya sneered. "That wish is dead! Much the same as the being who dreamt it. Now leave before I tire of you and decide to make you my dinner. Seldom does ripe meat come into my domain, unspoiled, and tender. And there is so much of it with your giant friend you are carrying."

Confidently, Charon rebutted. “Go ahead! Devour your tribe’s last hope for rescuing your forefather and delivering your lineages from bondage to the gods. I’m sure Cerberus wouldn’t mind you giving up after all that he did to keep you all alive for just this moment.” Apparently we grabbed the beast’s attention as the wolf head no longer spoke and the middle head of the hyena began to speak to us.

Intrigued, Pokol Kutya asked. "What do you mean? Speak plainly lest we lose what patience we still have. You should also know that if you speak false to us on this subject we do not mind facing the wrath of any god you may have behind you. Why do you say Cerberus kept us alive for this moment?"

Sincerely, Charon replied. "Look at my passenger more closely. Can you feel that power thrashing in him? Enough to even make you and me feel fear? It is impossible for a giant to keep that power inside of him. So, a giant he is not! Look at him closely. He is young, not even 15 or 20 yet. I will give you another hint, only because I owe you from the past. His fare for my boat was paid for by Athena and Arges, but the coin they used was the coin I had only given to Gaia. Do you understand now? Look at him again. He is a Titan! The very last. A new god. part old, part new, and all power. He just hasn’t had a chance to grow into his boots yet."

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Staying silent for a moment in absolute surprise and confusion he looked to be working out what was said by Charon in his mind and deciding on how much he could consider true and what he could consider false. Finally, all three heads turned towards us as he walked closer to the river, walking alongside the boat as all three of his heads spoke in unison, “What do you want?”

Hurriedly, Charon asked. "You see those thunderclouds behind us growing at an alarming speed? That is from Zeus. I need you to stop him or at least slow him down, so I can take this one to the old world."

Thinking for only a moment, a look of resolute determination spread across all three of his heads. At that moment he no longer looked like a wild beast but a noble warrior unafraid of pain or death. “Fine, I will slow him down for you, and assure you make it to the old world. But, you and he must make a heart pledge to save Typhon from under the mountain. Do that, and even if I perish in this mission I will have lived a worthy life.”

The massive beast and Charon both looked towards me as Charon whispered into my ear, “You must make this pledge, it is the only way we can lose Zeus. Once we reach the old world it will be much harder for Zeus to interfere but right now we are at his mercy. This will not hurt you in your journey, but will make things easier if you free him and become allies. What say you?”

Looking towards the massive dog he puffed out his chest and answered, “I hereby make a vow of the heart, I will rescue Typhon from his imprisonment once I reach the old world and we shall become allies from that day forward.” After making the vow the air in the underworld began to shimmer and become almost tangible as a small piece of the area shot into my body presumably finalizing the vow.

Crack!! Rumble!! Crack! Crack! Rumble, Crack! Immediately after the vow was finished the sounds of thunder and the crackling of lightning was everywhere as the admittedly gloomy cavern became even darker and gloomy.

Without warning a massive booming voice spread to every corner of the massive cavern. “CHARON!!! CHARON!! HOW DARE YOU FLEE FROM ME!!! HAVE YOU ALL FORGOTTEN MY WRATH!! WOULD YOU LIKE TO JOIN PROMETHEUS IN HAVING YOUR INSIDES DEVOURED BY AN EAGLE FOR ALL TIME!!! HOW DARE YOU ALL PLOT AGAINST ME!!

Looking above the boat a few miles away, he could see a massive wave of thunderclouds, and lightning, with a human at the forefront, up to his chest in stormclouds. He looked muscular with shoulder length white hair and beard with a white toga and a golden leaf crown.

Thankfully he did not seem to be carrying a weapon at the moment. Charon seeing we have been caught responded to Zeus, “Zeus, I am but a ferryman. I have no other reason to exist other than to do my job, so I do it. However, you should know best that I serve no god. Not you, the Norse, Christians, Muslims, Buddhist, or any other gods will stop me from my job. I do not work against one side or the other. I simply am.”

Zeus finally stopped around half a mile away from the boat. A long distance to some, but to a god it was basically on Charon’s doorstep. Seeming to be fighting to control his rage he looked to Charon then to Pokol, and eventually landing on me.

I felt a chill going down my spine as Zeus peered over my body slowly. “What do we have here? Who are you? And why do I feel the power of a primordial flowing through you? So, you were the massive energy I felt growing. Ok, I won’t make a mountain out of a molehill. Come, you will serve me as your king and I will take what power you have not yet digested, from whatever fortune you have been given. If I am happy, perhaps I will not destroy your friends and family. Hehe, Pretty good deal right? It’s pretty similar to the deal I gave Cerberus after I defeated the moron Typhon, right Pokol? What’s your name Giant?"

Without warning the three headed dog leaped to the sky and slammed into Zeus. Boom! The quills buried deep into the Zeus’s flesh causing bright golden blood to flow from the wounds dropping onto the nearby ground and one lucky soul who was immediately brought back to life as a human.

Seeing the miracle the blood could produce, the massive line of humans, beasts, spirits, and giants all began to fiercely charge at the god king in hopes of escaping their damnation. Pokol, noticing the dead rushing to Zeus in hopes of tearing him apart for his blood immediately thought of an idea. As Zeus was being covered in the dead, Pokol rushed to the gate of the underworld, and slammed into it with his full weight pushing the gate open.

Then he rushed to a high point so the whole plane could hear him as all three of his heads shouted together, “Reincarnation is here only this once! Guards, prisoners, abusers, victims, outcasts, socialites, all of you have the chance today! Zeus is here, and he is already bleeding! One drop of blood will bring you back to life, and I make a promise this day, any who attain a drop of his blood and reincarnate will not be hunted or stopped by me. The choice is yours! Pain and suffering for all time, or rebirth!”

The whole area was a quiet as a funeral, until one of the banshee guards began to dash towards the now open gate wailing for her lost life with determination in her eyes to attain at least a drop of golden ichor. Behind her, numberless zombie like undead flooded into the gate anxious to get there before the blood was all gone.

Following them were the ghosts who had been there for so long they no longer had a body to return to, but with the help of the blood of the gods it would be easy to build a new one. These were followed by various animals like lions, wolves, gorillas, crocodiles and hippos. There were beings that were so old they no longer had names to them slinking out from the depths of the underworld and all of them wanted a piece of Zeus.

Being thrown into the wall of the cavern in the yellow river was frustrating enough, but to have these undead disguising beings trampling him and trying to bite into him for his blood, was beyond infuriating. "I AM THE KING OF GODS! HOW DARE YOU MORTALS!" Crackle! Snap! Crack!

Multitudes of lightning bolts were sent from the lightning clouds into the ball of creatures trying to harm him, frying and zapping away dozens and dozens of beings. Zeus began to grab ahold of the undead by their arms swinging them into the other undead until the arms fell off at which point he began to beat them with the detached arms.

He continued to punch and kick the group as dozens of people and creatures were knocked away in every blow. He looked to be enjoying himself as he walked towards Pokol, crushing every head of the undead horde along the way as he went against the flow of the avalanche of undead

Pokol looked towards us and coughed something up from his main head, looking visibly weakened when he finished. Tossing the strange rock he had just spat up into the boat, he spoke to us once more. “Time to leave.” I will hold him here. GO!”

Looking at the beast leaving to fight against a near invincible enemy I found a new form of respect for him. “Good luck, I hope we meet again.” Hearing me, the dog nodded his three heads as Charon began to push his pole into the water again as we quickly picked up speed.

Furious, Zeus screamed! "YOU’R NOT GOING ANYWHERE!! IM NOT THROUGH WITH YOU YET! HOW DARE YOU PUNY BEINGS DEFY YOUR KING!!"

Crackle, Crack, Rumble. Lightning was sent careening towards our boat, but at the last second possible, Pokol swung his massive tail down and picked up a few dozen undead piercing them through with his many spines and quickly launched them towards the lightning bolts. Fortunately, allowing us to remain unharmed but blowing up the few dozen people unfortunate enough to be caught by Pokol.

Drowning in his anger, Zeus yelled! "HOW DARE YOU POKOL! SO YOU ARE FINALLY REBELLING HUH? YOU KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO YOUR FATHER, AND YOU’R FATHERS FATHER WHEN THEY REBELLED. NOTHING GOOD WILL COME OF THIS FOR YOU!!"

Feeling content, Pokol replied. "As long as it ends in your death it does not matter how it began!"

Seeing red, Zeus screamed. "FOOL!! THEN DIE!!"

Lightning crackled around as the entire cavern turned into the spark of a welder. It was so bright that I had to close my eyes as I felt them beginning to burn. Charon quickly pulled his hood over his eyes and set off as quickly as possible to the old world.

The next thing he could remember, was waking up on this shoreline. The air felt dirty, and he could smell plastics and oil burning, with black fog around the riverbed that he was laying in. "Did I make it?" Looking to his side, he can see the big rock that Pokol gave to him, and the pouch that Athena had given him.

He must have passed out from the explosion and pain from earlier. He still feels like he's being broken into a million pieces, as the energy inside of him keeps surging. Looking for where it can be put, to grow. "I have to quickly find out where I am, but before that I need to find a place and lay low to heal and grow."