The Ultimate Sacrifice Pt. 04

All he had to figure out was how to get off the Olympus with that...thing.

Then he heard Zeus' voice, asking him to meet him at his villa. What he didn't know was I was watching him from the observatory. My body was now back in the sarcophagus.

Zeus sat in his chair and looked forlorn, "Aristaeus, I need you to go to Earth and advise Heracles and Perseus of the events that have transpired here. They need to be warned of the upcoming battle against Anu's forces. Hephaestus has loaded some additional weaponry, they'll need, onto your ship." He never once lifted his head or looked at Aristaeus. Aristaeus interpreted this to mean Zeus had already surrendered to Anu. All that remained incomplete was the slaughter.

"When do you want me to depart?" Aristaeus inquired.

Zeus still didn't look at him, "As soon as possible, I suppose."

If this wasn't such a critical moment, I would have chuckled. Zeus was putting on an Academy Award performance.

"I will ready my ship." With that Aristaeus disappeared and reappeared in Aphrodite's laboratory. Aphrodite and Josephine were standing next to the sarcophagus. Josephine had obviously been crying, Aphrodite, who had adapted to Josephine's size, had her wrapped in a comforting embrace.

"Zeus wants me to warn Heracles and Perseus of the impending attack and provide them with some new weapons. I wanted to extend my condolences before I left." He stood next to the sarcophagus, placing his hands on the edge and dropped a small disc inside without either Aphrodite or Josephine noticing.

Josephine extracted herself from Aphrodite's embrace and approached Aristaeus, wrapping her arms around his waist. He bent over and hugged her back as she cried into his chest. After a few moments she removed her arms and faced him, "Thank you Aristaeus, you have always been a true friend."

She then turned to Aphrodite, "I'm exhausted, would you please take me home and stay with me awhile?"

Aphrodite wrapped her again in a loving embrace, "Of course."

Aristaeus said to Aphrodite, "Go ahead, I'll stay here only a moment. I need to leave for Earth as soon as possible."

With that Aphrodite and Josephine vanished. The disc Aristaeus planted would allow him to transport me and the sarcophagus to his ship. Aristaeus grabbed the side of the sarcophagus and vanished. Once on the ship he prepared for departure. Aristaeus requested Hephaestus open a corridor for his ship. Hephaestus was sitting with Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Apollo, Athena, Artemis, Demeter, Hermès, Aphrodite and Josephine when he granted his approval for take off. The golden banana shaped vessel quickly rose and darted through the open corridor. The corridor immediately closed once again providing complete protection to the Olympus.

Apollo quietly said, "Take care of my son Hector and bring him safely home."

I projected, so the whole room could hear, "I will protect your son like he was my own."

Once in space and a safe distance from the Olympus, Aristaeus was able to relax. His connection with Lilith was immediately re-established. Lilith was brought up to speed concerning the experiment and that Aristaeus was in possession of the surrogate body. She beckoned him immediately to her ship. He made some course corrections to his navigation. He would get close to Earth, but Heracles and Perseus would never have the chance to use Hephaestus' new weapons. He laughed at the irony of it all. Zeus trusted him to help defend the very planet he intended to help destroy. His new flight plan would take him past Earth to a position outside of the solar system, but on the opposite side of the sun from the Olympus.

I sent the new coordinates to Hephaestus. Athena, Poseidon and Josephine joined him and left the Olympus in another ship.

It was more than interesting and took a bit of time getting comfortable. The "observatory" was part of the universe while at the same time it wasn't. Time and space was irrelevant within this realm. I could remain in one place and be everywhere at the same time. It wasn't the same as the dimensional phase thing I experienced in Washington DC. It was like I was sitting outside of reality, observing it through a window. This reality contained the living world and the transitional world, leading to the light. If I could see what was on the other side of the light, I would have a 100% understanding of the complete universe. Alas, that wasn't possible. So I would just have to be content with understanding two thirds of what makes up the universe.

Aristaeus' ship passed Earth at an accelerated speed. Venus flew by in a blur. It was like the sun was acting as a sling shot and propelled the ship passed it. On the other side we passed Mercury and deftly navigated the asteroid belt. We came close enough to get a postcard view of Saturn. It was even more spectacular than photos I grew up with. Then there was nothing but open space. Stars lit up the sky all around the ship, but it was cruising through a sea of blackness.

As I passively observed Aristaeus I sensed another presence.

"I thought I'd see how you're holding up." Hades inquired.

"So far, so good." I responded. "Lilith seems very excited to examine my body. I just hope this ruse of ours, fools her."

"Me too." He responded, not filling me with confidence. "And what happens if it doesn't."

"Well, I guess there will be a fight. But I'm not sure who'll win."

Hades stayed awhile. He talked about Aristaeus growing up. Of all the Olympians, Aristaeus was the most susceptible to suggestions. He wasn't bullied by his siblings or any other Olympian, but had a difficult time finding his "gifts." In the end his gifts turned out to be more academic than a "super power." He was physically weaker than most but possessed an acute intellect. Aristaeus had confessed to Hades, on several occasions, he wished he was as strong as his father. Hades opined that intellect and self esteem didn't necessarily go hand in hand. Just before he returned to the living, he said he thought that's what drew him to Anu. I wasn't sure Aristaeus was drawn to Anu, versus Anu pulling him into a compromising situation.

I could sense we were getting close to Lilith's ship. I couldn't see it, but it was there, as dark as space itself. Suddenly it felt cold, that damp... creepy cold. Also I began to have difficulty seeing the living world. I still had my connection with Aristaeus, he was scared...scared of his impending encounter with Lilith. His ship came to a stop, but I couldn't make out where he was. I could see him departing the ship with the sarcophagus in tow. He walk for a bit. The world around him was dark, eerily dark. And...it was dead quiet. Suddenly Aristaeus dropped to his hands and knees, his head bowing down.

A female voice said, "Welcome back Aristaeus. I see you brought me a present." I couldn't make out a form, but the voice cut through the darkness like a knife.

Aristaeus responded, "I hope it pleases you mistress." I sensed he was scared out of his mind. I resisted trying to calm him. I didn't want to take a chance on being discovered.

"Had you stayed in contact, as instructed, that would have pleased me. But you failed to do so. Perhaps this will make up for your failure." She replied with a bite to her tongue.

I noticed movement around the sarcophagus, but still couldn't see any details.

"So this is Aphrodite's great weapon to defeat Anu. It looks...very human. I wish her experiment had succeeded. I would have liked to see what this Bob Davis was capable of achieving."

Be careful what you wish for bitch, was my thought.

"You were there when this experiment failed."

"Yes mistress."

"You witnessed his body destroyed."

"Yes mistress."

I could sense she was validating each response with his thoughts. Aphrodite had done a masterful job altering his memories. But in truth Aristaeus was present when my human body was destroyed. So, the alterations in his memories were omissions versus out and out misrepresentations.

Lilith circled the sarcophagus, studying the body laying within. I still couldn't make out any physical details. It's like she lacked a solid form. I could see her movements and hear her voice, but that was it. She slowly circled me like she was looking for something specific. Once she reached my head she reached out and touched it.

I felt it.

I shouldn't feel her touch. One of the aspects of having your soul separated from your body, is the loss of your five senses until you're rejoined with your body. That's why I didn't experience the pain, in the ER, after the traffic accident.

It's like she was searching for my soul. I sensed a very dangerous situation developing. I felt a hand moving about my head... inside my head, then it was gone. She hadn't said a word. I couldn't see her in the room anymore.

Something wasn't right, so I took some preplanned precautions.

Suddenly I sensed I wasn't alone.

"I'm impressed that Aphrodite succeeded. Hephaestus' shielding around the Olympus made it impossible for me to watch. I was able to witness Hades' struggle to return you to the living. I even saw you will yourself back. I was impressed by your strength. It's a shame her success will be short lived. It's also pathetic that you thought you could fool me. By the way, where is Hades?" She was behind me. Her voice even creeped me out.

"Please don't hurt Aristaeus," was the first thing that came out of my mouth.

"His life is already forfeited. I will end his miserable existence as soon as I'm finished with you."

"I may not be so easy to kill." I said trying to hide the fact I wasn't so confident in that declaration.

"Easy...hard...the result is the same." She said as I felt her reach out and touch my soul. I wasn't aware that was even possible.

I sent a message to Hades, requesting his assistance. "He can't hear you and even if he did he wouldn't be able to find you. I've been spying on him literally... forever. I could have destroyed his soul anytime I wanted. In fact, the next time he ventures into Purgatory, will be his last."

This was going from bad to disastrous fast.

"I've been watching from my perch the entire time. I watched when you died from the automobile accident. I heard your dear daughter crying out, Hurry daddy, we're waiting for you. Then Hades forced you back to a life of pain and agony. I was tempted to destroy you during your first venture into Purgatory with Hades. But, I have other plans for Aphrodite's weapon. Thank you for delivering it to me." She was extremely confident...almost cocky.

I attempted to return to my body, but Lilith was somehow preventing it. Her touch was turning into a grasp and the grasp was tightening like a vice grip. It was like my life's essence was being squeezed out of me. Aphrodite had made a body that was indestructible. Problem was... I wasn't in my body and Lilith was very familiar with this weakness. In this realm, I was more Bob Davis than I was Hector of Troy. I wasn't this god-like immortal here, it appears.

"I will destroy your soul. You will not even be able to reach the light. You will simply no longer exist." Her voice was pure evil.

"Is that even possible?" I thought.

I concentrated and attempted to fight back in my "soul state." I was beginning to feel her grip lessening. Then she cranked it up another level and her vice grip increased. It was a battle I had never waged before. I wasn't sure if I could release myself of her hold. I had always fought against the odds and somehow come out on top. I prevailed because I believed in what I was fighting for and was determined not to lose. Now I was in the fight of my life and it wasn't looking good for the home team. The harder I fought the tighter her grip. I began to feel weaker and weaker.

All of a sudden, she released her grip. I turned and watched her soul ascend to the light. Then she was gone.

What the hell!?

I called out, "Hades, was that you?"

Nothing

I quickly returned to my body, opened my eyes and sat up. I didn't initially see anyone, the darkness didn't help.

"Aristaeus?" I called out.

"I'm over here Bob!" He responded.

I climbed out of the sarcophagus and started off in the direction of his voice. It didn't take long for me to find him, sitting down, holding one of Hephaestus' swords. He was covered in a black liquid. Laying beside him was a humanoid body that had been decapitated. The female head was nearby.

He was visibly shaken, "I suddenly woke up and she was just sitting there like she was asleep. I remembered what Lilith did to me and Ares. I found one of Hephaestus' swords made of Olympian steel. I wasn't thinking, I just picked it up and walked over to her and swung it with all that I had in me." He was looking down at the sword and his hands.

Then he looked up at me, "I brought you here as an offering to her and Anu." His facial expression was shocked shame. Then it changed to confused. "Aphrodite's experiment failed. I saw her destroy your body. How are you here...alive?"

"You were under Lilith's control. She introduced a neurotoxin into your system, similar to what killed Ares. I found out by reading your mind. We...altered your memories to make you believe the experiment had failed. It was the only way I could get close to Lilith. I can occupy the same space Hades can...between the living and the light. That's why I appeared dead." I started to explain.

Aristaeus just sat there listening.

"What I didn't know was Lilith could occupy the same space. She touched my physical body and I felt it. I knew I shouldn't be able to feel any physical contact and knew that something was terribly wrong. She was looking for my soul. Just before I encountered her, I removed the neurotoxin from your body. That must have been when you woke up. Fortunately she was too focused on me to notice what I had done to you. She was in the process of squeezing the life essence out of me. I tried to fight back, but she was too powerful." I paused.

"Aristaeus, you saved my life. Thanking you seems woefully inadequate."

He looked up at me.

"I was just trying to end the nightmare." He responded.

"You ended the nightmare for a whole lot of people." I knew with one swing of the sword, he had changed the tide in this war.

I sat down next to him. We were both quiet. Aristaeus appeared lost in his thoughts. I could have read his mind, but that would have been a violation of his privacy, so I didn't. Even though he was still much larger than me, he seemed like a lost child who needed reassurance.

I looked over at Lilith's head. I don't want to seem vain or judgmental, but damn...she was ugly. She was everything Aphrodite wasn't. There weren't any horns coming out of her head and she didn't have three eyes. Her hair was silver, long and unkept. Her skin was pasty white, but drawn up like dried leather. Her eyes were closed. The black liquid, all over Aristaeus, appeared to be her blood.

After sometime I asked Aristaeus, "Are you ok?"

He looked at me, "I think so. We should think about getting out of here."

"That's a good idea, Hephaestus, Poseidon, Athena and Josephine are waiting for us. Also, I need to find some clothes." I responded.

Aristaeus stood up and examined himself, "I'm a fucking mess."

I had never heard a curse word come from his lips before. Smiling, I responded, "A beautiful fucking mess, if you ask me."

He smiled back. We walked back to the ship and took off. We also found me something to wear. When we were a safe distance from Lilith's vessel, I focused all my energy on overloading it's propulsion system. What followed was an explosion of epic proportion. The shock wave rocked our ship, but Aristaeus maintained control.

Then we both heard Hephaestus' voice, "Aristaeus...Hector, are you there?"

Aristaeus looked at me, "Hector?"

I looked back and shrugged. "I need to correct a few of your memories."

Aristaeus responded to Hephaestus' hail, "We're alive and well. Lilith's threat has been eliminated."

Then we heard Josephine's anxious voice, "And Hector? Is he alright."

I answered, "Yes my love, thanks to Aristaeus. Apollo can be very proud of his son today."

Aristaeus smiled and stood a little taller.

Athena responded, "I can't wait to hear that story."

Chapter nineteen -- Ground Zero...Earth

We rendezvoused with the group at the observation base on the dark side of Jupiter's moon Io. When we stepped off the ship, Aristaeus received a hero's welcome. Representatives from hundreds of planets were there to celebrate his victory over Lilith. Josephine ran up and slammed into me in a fierce hug. I looked over at Aristaeus, he was standing proud at the constant accolades thrown at him. When Josephine got her fill and was satisfied I wasn't on my way to the hereafter, she observed the same scene.

"I'm so happy for him. But why do I get the sense you should be sharing in this victory celebration?"

"He saved my life. Lilith was winning the battle between us when he slayed her." I wanted to ensure Aristaeus received the credit he so richly deserved. I know everyone thought and expected me to be the "savior." I was more than content to disappoint them and let them see there is a "savior" in each of us.

She looked at me, "Then I am forever in his debt."

I looked back, "As am I."

At that moment another ship arrived. Apollo exited and ran to his son. He embraced him in a desperate hug.

"I thought I had lost you forever. I can't begin to tell you how proud I am. I love you son."

Aristaeus was filled with joy, "I love you too father, but you may want to thank Bob, or I mean Hector. If he hadn't removed the neurotoxin from my body, when he did, things would have turned out vastly different."

The great god Apollo nodded and walked over to Josephine and me. He bent down on one knee and embraced me. When he released me he said, "I'm sorry I ever doubted you. I was a fool and a coward, can you ever find a way to forgive me?"

"There was never anything to forgive. You were acting as a loving father should, who's only concern was for the safety and well-being of your child. By the way, that's very human of you." I smiled.

As he did to me during the first time we met, I patted his shoulders and announced, "There, all is well."

Apollo laughed. His youthful face had returned. It was good to see him happy again.

I looked over at Hephaestus, Athena and Poseidon, "We need to get to Earth as soon as possible. Anu is certain to learn of Lilith's demise and will make a beeline to Earth and destroy it. Josephine and I need to be there with Heracles and Perseus to make sure that doesn't happen."

Poseidon answered, "We can depart immediately. Apollo and Hephaestus will return to the Olympus with Aristaeus. Athena and I will assist you in Earth's defense."

"That's more than I expected, thank you." I was very thankful for their help.

Just as we were getting ready to leave, Aristaeus asked, "Don't forget Hephaestus' weapons, on my ship."

I smiled and responded, "I think they have already been used for they're intended purpose."

I was finally going home. I debated whether or not to inform the planet's leaders of the impending attack or let them find out when it happens. But that wouldn't be a decision I would make alone. I wondered if it was even possible to defend the planet without its inhabitants knowing it was ever in danger.

On our way to Earth, I finally had some time to chat with Poseidon and Athena. Poseidon told me about his trip to the Andromeda Galaxy with Demeter and Hermès. He found out Anu was recruiting an army in the Phoenix Cluster. Also he learned that Anu had already prepositioned spies on Earth. When Anu would return with his army was the biggest question. Even with their advanced technology, it takes time to travel 57 light years. We all agreed we needed to weaken Anu's Earth based forces before his army arrived. Athena thought the biggest problem would identifying them.