ATN 3: THE JAR IN THE MAZE

THE GIGANTE AGAINST DESTINY

Lachesis ran her hand on the rod, and two blades appeared on it, on either sides of the tip. There was a dreading question that came to my mind, "Lady Lachesis, if Agrius has risen, is it possible that the rest..."

"Nope." Lachesis interrupted and answered me, "Not yet. Just like we were born way before the Olympians, Agrius always rises way before his anti-Olympian brothers."

"Then how did Periboea rise ahead of everyone?"

"She doesn't exactly walk in the same line as her brothers. She is different. Was different. Now she is just dead."

And then, finally, Agrius appeared, destroying the front gate. Nearly twenty feet tall, he made Lachesis look like a teenager. His hands were covered with dark brown furs, and his face though human, was bearded as hell. His eyes were red, his hair black and elongated upto his waist. From waist up, he was human, with a big pot belly, with a dark-ish skin tone. From waist down, he looked some canine, with thinner, furry legs, greyish fur, sharp claws. He held two huge meat cleavers in both his hands. I figured they were not to cut some chicken and serve us, but rather to cut us up. He slammed his feet on the ground, and screamed, "No one should control destiny. I, Agrius, giant of free will, shall end your days, thread-goddesses."

"We shall see." Lachesis said, as she slammed her rod on the ground twice.

Agrius jumped at Lachesis, and threw his meat cleavers at her. I flicked my fingers as both the weapons fell far away, bamboozling Agrius. Lachesis took the moment's advantage, and rammed one blade on his foot. Then, she grew in size, as big as the gigante. I concentrated on the ground beneath Agrius. Lachesis took flight, and that is when, the gigante noticed me. He snarled, spread his hands as his meat cleavers returned to his hands, and he came at me. However, that hit on his leg from Lachesis had slowed him down, as golden ichor oozed out of the wound. I used my non verbal magic to shake the ground beneath him, as I was concentrating on. Agrius lost his footing, and fell down. Lachesis took the advantage again, and attacked Agrius again. This is when, it started to go wrong.

Agrius got up very quickly, and pushed Lachesis to the walls of her palace. He ran at me so unexpectedly fast, that I couldn't react. He caught me in his hand and picked me up. "You are a thorn in our side, magic boy." He said, "I shall stamp you under my feet."

He threw me down on the ground with intense force. I fell on my back so hard that my vision went black. I knew I had broken my ribs, but I couldn't wait to check. Agrius was landing his foot on me. I rolled aside with all my strength, as Lachesis finally responded. She threw her rod at the gigante's leg, which hit him hard. But I wasn't done getting beaten. With his other foot, Agrius kicked me hard. I was thrown at the walls of the palace. Lachesis screamed, "It is not his fate to die at your hands, you hairy baffoon."

"I don't care about any fate. I write fates myself, I change them for fun." Agrius attacked me again. Lachesis interrupted, and the two locked in a dual. Lachesis's rod versus Agrius's meat cleavers. I watched from far, clearly not fit to help the Moira.

My vision was slowly returning. So, I didn't miss the fight. At first, the two couldn't hurt each other. Lachesis's rod struck the meat cleavers with brute force, and created some sparks. Then, Agrius finally drew first blood. He used one cleaver to block the rod, and with the other cleaver, slashed on Lachesis's arm. She dropped her rod in pain, as Agrius drove both his cleavers through either sides of her neck. This normally kills people, but these are gods we are talking about. Lachesis bent on the ground in pain, her hands on her neck. Golden ichor gushed out of her neck, turning her black cloak into golden. Agrius was about to attack again, maybe finally destroy her, when I heard Atropos in my mind, "His time has come."

With the remaining energy inside me, I screamed, leaving out the Wizard-cry. 

The earth shook, lightning flashed in the sky, thunder roared. Behind me, windows shattered to pieces. In front, Agrius had kneeled down, covering his ears, screaming in pain, asking me to stop. But he couldn't move, and I was not going to stop until my body gave in. Lachesis was looking at me with shock, as if, even she had not expected this. It got her rejuvenated, as she stood up, her wounds healed. She picked up her rod, as Agrius fell on the ground, and lay still. Lachesis swirled her rod like before, and sliced away the gigante's head. Next moment, his body turned to dust. My body chose that moment to give in, and I collapsed on the ground.

When I woke up, I saw that I was inside the palace again. The Fates hovered over me, as Lachesis said, "About time."

"Wha..." I sat up, "How long was I out?"

"About fifteen minutes." Clotho said, "You did it, kid. You finally shocked Lachesis."

"What?" I had no idea what she wanted to say.

"Yes, I know I don't get shocked at anything. But I never thought that he would be able to pull of the Wizard-cry after getting battered."

"That reminds me," Atropos said, "how do you feel?"

I checked myself. My body pains had certainly disappeared, and I felt great. I looked at Atropos and said, "I feel healed."

"That's because you are." Atropos said, "Now, to business. A noble demigod like you, son of Hecate, deserves another chance. We, the Moirai, have decided that."

"You mean to tell me, there is a way?" I asked. 

"Yes." Atropos said, "As I remember, there is. The way has few steps. First step is to prove your worth to us. You certainly did that before. Now, the second step. Perform a noble act."

"How do I do that?"

"We don't know that. But it has to be from inside the heart." Atropos said, "And the last step is very difficult."

"What is it?"

"Perform a ritual in front of the five elements of the world. In that ritual, sacrifice something important, or dear to whoever is affected by the curse. If you do, the hole between the living and the dead will be healed. Understood?"

"Very well." I stood up, "Now I have to return. There is not a moment to waste for me. O Weavers of destinies, thank you for your kind help."

"Atropos helped you, boy." Lachesis said, "Spoiler alert, fighting Jared to end the war is not your only fate."

"What?" I asked, surprised.

"Can't say more than that. Gotta find out yourself."

"My turn to help now." Clotho said, "Though you destroyed the windows of our palace, you still fought for us. And since your return through the Labyrinth will take time, we, as the most powerful beings in the pantheon, have arranged a ride to take you back to Themiscyra within an hour. And that is the grandest of all rides."

Clotho carried me outside the palace. Atropos and Lachesis followed. Standing there, right in front of me, was a white stallion. It had bird like wings. It was a pegasus. It was slightly bigger than the ordinary pegasi, and was absolutely spotless white. It was so white that it seemed to have a glowing aura. Or...

Gods! It was the Pegasus. Steed of Olympus, son of Poseidon and Medusa, carrier of Bellerophon. It was, correctly said by Clotho, the grandest of all rides.

"Wanna hop up?" Pegasus said.

"You can talk?" I asked.

"Talk, crack jokes, advise you, help you make plans, you name it." Pegasus winked (or it seemed like he did) at the Fates.

"Wow!" I looked at him in awe.

"This kid is so cute." Pegasus said to the Fates, "How did he come here?"

"Took the Labyrinth." Lachesis said.

"Peg," Atropos said, "I appreciate you coming to help the boy. He has suffered a lot in the last hour or so."

"Come on. The most powerful beings call upon, you listen, always. Come up, son of Hecate. Let's get you home."

I jumped on Pegasus. "Hold tight, my little friend." He said, and started flapping his wings.

"Remember, Jay." Atropos said, "Do not take your enemy lightly. You offer him a little finger, and you won't even realize when he grabs your hand. Remember, no little finger."

I had no idea what she said, but I got the message she wanted to give. I nodded, as Pegasus took off.