ATN 3: THE JAR IN THE MAZE

THE DIVINE SOURCE

In front of me, the gods were slowly fading away like Avengers from Infinity War. Abhro and Dadai had Aphrodite wrapping her arms around them. Rhian, Rahul, Tina, Delilah, Lucy, and other kids had their parents around them. Gerard, Riya, Hiya and I weren't very lucky. "I gotta stop him. There has to be a way." I said, and ran inside the throne room.

Inside, the room, for the first time, looked short of light. It was gloomy and quiet before, with twelve huge egos battling it out inside, but was never short of light. The room didn't feel like what it used to be. The twelve major thrones, and two small guest thrones stood firm still, but all this was going to be over soon. This throne room, this city, this world, everything was over. Because right in front of me, I had the man responsible for all this. And this time, I had no one around. He was all alone, and so was I.

At his feet, the Divine Source had been snapped from the middle. Jared looked at me, all exhausted and sweaty. He said, laughing, "Come at last. A little too late I'm afraid. All the gods, warlock, must be avengering away now."

"The avengers were brought back too, you know." I said. I had fifteen minutes in my hand. I had to think of something. It could not be over.

"That needed time travel. And boy, ancient Greece doesn't have that."

"You deprived me of my mother, Jared. I had known her only a year."

"Sorry, mate. Nothing personal."

"It is now. Tell me, sapling, what did you get by breaking the Divine Source? Name? Fame? Relief?"

"Vengeance for my father." He said, and took a step back.

"You got death. In fifteen minutes, this world will be destroyed, along with the gods. Seven billion people on planet Earth," I snapped my fingers, "Dead. All because you couldn't handle a loss."

"Shut up, you little nobody. I don't answer to you."

"I AM NOT A NOBODY!" I shouted, "I AM THE KING OF ATLANTIS! AND YOU WILL DEFINITELY ANSWER TO ME." My anger rose. Inside my heart, I felt bad that it had risen when he had called me a nobody. It was kinda egoistic and selfish. Around me, the window panes opened violently. I induced pain, and Jared fell on the ground, wincing. "Your sister was doing this, right before she died." I said, trying to hit him where it hurt him, "You are not invulnerable. Magic works on you."

Just then, my Iris ring rang up. I pressed the gem, and saw Iris on the other side. "Jay, listen. Your mother says that there is a way to heal the Source. I am coming to Olympus. I have enough power left for two more portals."

"Iris," I said, still managing to keep my pain inducing spell going, "We have fifteen minutes only."

"That is time enough." And she cut the call.

I kept this pain going for about five minutes, until Iris ran inside the throne room. Behind her, all the gods, now still slowly fading, came in. They looked terrible. Alongside them, my friends and family, all watching in anticipation.

"Ten minutes. Now, listen." Iris said, as I let Jared's paining wince stop. He slowly got up, and tried to leave. However, Demeter stepped in between, and spread her hands. And from behind the two guest thrones came out vines. Each of them wrapped around Jared's hands. He tried to free himself. But he couldn't. As the vines tightened their grips to full extent, Demeter let go, and lost her balance. However, the vines remained intact. "That was the last of my powers." Demeter said.

Jared was trying to break free. But he couldn't. "What is this, Demeter?" He screamed, "I carry boon of Styx. I have the power of the Ophiotaurus's burned entrails. I am stronger than these vines."