Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 23:33:33 -0400
From: Joe Barker <jbark217@gmail.com>
Subject: Fantasy / Greek Story / Hermes Close Call

	This was ridiculous, why had everyone been so paranoid about a pair
of boys with powers. It wasn't strange, there had been plenty of 'gifted'
mortals on earth what was the deal with these two. There was a whisper in
the wind, and as it drifted nearer the whisper became a voice, Zeus' voice.
	"Hermes' come to my throne..." the wind drifted off again, and I
turned in mid air to fly back to the palace. I was close so it didn't take
me but a second; I was standing next to Zeus as he was recovering from his
exhaling the wind message.
	"Ah...my boy...you know the business with the two mortal boys, I
was wondering if you knew who to contact to have it dealt with. Maybe some
expert thieves, because I fear that they may have weapons from my son's
forge." He looked at me with an expectant look. If these two boys were
wielding weapons from Hephaestus' forge then things were more serious then
I knew, and when I didn't know things it bugged me.
	"What exactly is the problem with these boys?" I asked slowly
	"You haven't heard tale of the Prophesy?" I shook my head to his
question. He continued to tell me what Apollo had done, and the prophesy he
had given. My mouth dropped at the thought of two mortals being ruler of
all of us. I didn't like it, I mean I knew that I wasn't respected but I
had a powerful job, whether they recognized it or not. I didn't want that
position jeopardized.
	"I know exactly the person you need." Silently I added 'Me'.
	I turned and darted out of the palace and down the side of the
mountain. I didn't like Sparta, and I liked Spartans even less, but swiftly
and silently I flew from house to house looking for them. I would handle
them myself, and finally earn the respect and power I deserve. I wove my
way through the streets by the people, going so fast I was invisible. I
retained my invisibility as I stopped and stared through the window. Inside
were two boys...on the floor together...and they were kissing. I watched
bewildered for a moment as the words of Zeus hit me, about these two
consummating their love. I dove through the window, aimed and swung my
caduceus and the head of the closest. He lunged forward as it connected and
he head butted the other boy. The bigger one stood up, he was that had been
head butted.
	"What was that for?" He sounded stunned.
	"It wasn't on purpose, something hit me, there is someone
here...someone obviously not welcomed." He held a hand up, in a request for
assistance.
	The bigger boy's wrist bands glistened in the light of the fire as
he reached out. The bands were perfect; no doubt the work of my cousin. As
I stared at the bands and invisible force hit me as the smaller boy swiped
his hand through the air. I lost control over my powers for a moment and I
became visible. The boys advanced on me, and I tapped the end of my scepter
on the ground and a similar blast was returned to them. The smaller boy
threw up his hands blocking it with his own power, but the bigger boy was
launched off his feet and thrown backward; he skidded to a stop next to the
fire. He laid still.
	The smaller boy glanced at him and turned at me in anger. I took a
second to glance at the knocked out boy and in that time a flash of silver
flew at me and my scepter was jerked from my hand and pinned to the wall by
a solid silver star. I looked at him with a shock. His hand was in mid air
with 3 silver balls spinning over his hand. He twitched his fingers and I
had just enough time to roll out of the way when a ball exploded into the
wall.
	I stood up and waved a hand, the caduceus flew toward my hand,
about halfway through the air another silver ball collided with it and the
shaft snapped in half. The scepter fell to the ground clinking.
	"That was a gift!" I glared at him.
	"So was this!" he shouted as he twitched his fingers again and the
last ball in his hand flew toward me. I felt heat rise in my eyes as I
summon every ounce of power that I had channeled into my scepter. The ball
froze in mid air and shot back at the boy. It caught him in the shoulder
and he spun as he fell backward landing on his face.
	"NO!" the other boy had woken up, and a ball of flames hit me in my
face. The burns were minor, he didn't have enough power to actually hurt
me...I was a god after all.
	The boy reached down and scooped up flames like they were
solid. They didn't burn him; he began to roll the flames so they formed a
ball. He threw the ball again; I stood there planning to let it hit me. It
hit me and I flew backward, in severe pain. These flames were more
concentrated and exploded on contact.
	I was burned badly, and pain flew through my body, where it had
never been before. I was nursing the burns when two silver darts hovered
over my chest. The boys, both of them, were standing over me, the small one
was hold his wounded arm, and his other hand holding his darts at bay. The
other boy was holding a ball of fire that looked so solid it didn't seem to
be moving.
	"Take a message for us; tell them that we ARE coming." The bigger
boy spoke. The smaller boy just grimaced. I took that is my invitation to
leave, so I did just that, with a twitch of my eyes I vanished, appearing
on a cloud. I collapsed a rested for a moment. This was going to be an
interesting war, they were powerful and the gods had already chosen sides.


Thank you for reading this part of my story and I hope you liked it. Please
remember that my only form of payment is your comments, and I LOVE them.

Jbark217@gmail.com

Also please read my other stories at *** www.niftyscrypt.webs.com ***