“My wife had a plan. I’m certain that if you permit her to speak we could resolve this!”
Hades glanced at Valeria’s image and then he shook his head. “I prefer to work one on one.” Hades glanced at Caleb again. “It would take quite a lot to release the last oracle! Perhaps that boy—I might take him.”
Caleb let out a half-laugh and Alex shook his head at Caleb to silence him.
“It’s cool...it’s just like my game...you know, the third triumvirate,” Caleb said in a near-whisper.
“The third triumvirate?” Alex asked.
“Yeah, you know...the game I made.”
Alex huffed in confusion. “Caleb, I’m not following.
This
is about your game?” he said with doubt, certain that Caleb was mistaken.
“Yeah...pretty cool, huh?” Then Caleb stepped toward Hades.
“Sweet! I always wanted to see the underworld.”
Alex shook his head in frantic concern. “Caleb—you aren’t going! Neither Val nor I want that!” he said.
Caleb whispered to Alex with a playful smile, “Don’t worry—I’m pretty good at this!” Then turning back to Hades, he said, “So, like I was saying, Val’s not the last oracle and I think she should be able to talk.”
“You can’t fool me! I know these things!” Hades said.
“What is the third triumvirate?” Alex asked.
Caleb turned his back on Hades. “It’s like this: the first triumvirate is the first thing you have to conquer. Okay?” Alex nodded as Caleb continued, “They’re the Moira.”
“The Fates?”
“Yeah...it’s like they have control of the game and until you beat them you still have play by all their rules. And you have this cool bag of tools and you have to use the right ones in the right order. Otherwise, you have to wait for another chance!”
“Alright...” Alex said, not at all certain that he understood what was going on.
“Once you break their control, you have to go to the next level, and beat the second triumvirate. That’s harder because there’s three of them, and you have to get past Aegemon, Hyperion, AND... What was that witch’s name?” Caleb asked.
“Uh...Kristiana?” Alex asked, now completely confused, and amazed that Hades had permitted this discussion. “You...you knew this?”
Caleb nodded. “Lastly, you have to put the third triumvirate back in power.”
“Who is the third triumvirate?” Alex asked.
“Ha! That’s the group that has the power over the council.”
Alex stared at Caleb in confusion and suddenly wondered if he were in a dream.
Caleb continued, “So the third triumvirate...well, it’s the first oracle, the last oracle, and Apollo...but their designees can speak for them.”
“Alright....” Alex released a small laugh and then whispered to himself, “
Who are you Caleb?”
Continuing, Caleb said, “And, like I said, Hades has to leave the third triumvirate—or their designees—here to run the council...that’s the rules on this level!”
“
And I
need a suitable replacement for the last oracle!” Hades growled.
“Val isn’t the last oracle, but she is a designee.”
“I don’t believe you!” Hades eyes filled with doubt. “Don’t you lie to me!”
Caleb got back in Hades’ face and narrowed his eyes. “I just realized something. You’re a lying cheating goon, just like
Dagoth Ur.”
“Who?”
Ava asked to no one in particular.
“
Dagoth Ur, he’s a villain in Elder Scrolls,” Caleb said, happily.
“In what?”
Ava asked.
“Elder Scrolls—a video game.”
Caleb rolled his eyes as if everyone knew. Then he whispered to Alex, “I got a 500 point bonus for standing up to Hades—as long as he doesn’t fry me!”
Certain that Caleb’s outburst was a death
sentence, Alex prepared to defend the boy. Instead, Hades responded as he might to his own child and said patiently, “It is my responsibility.”
Alex's eyes narrowed and this time his voice had more volume, “Who are you Caleb?”
Shrugging nonchalantly, Caleb smiled and then turned back to Hades. “If you don’t believe me that Val isn’t the last oracle—ask Myrdd.”
Hades cast his eyes toward Myrdd. “You are a part of the third triumvirate of Delos. It consists of the first oracle, the last oracle, and Apollo! Is that not true?”
Myrdd’s eyes narrowed as if trying to remember. Then he cleared his throat. “Yes, that is true.”
“And Cassandra is a part of the third triumvirate,” Hades stated, losing patience.
“Cassandra is most certainly an integral part of the third triumvirate.”
“As I stated earlier!”
Hades voice escalated.
Myrdd began mumbling, “Yes, she is...I mean, she is a part of the triumvirate, per se.”
Losing his temper, Hades said, “Is she—or is she not—the last oracle?”
“No. She is not.”
With his eyes widening in sudden realization, Alex looked at Caleb and said, “It’s...you?”
Caleb ignored the question as Myrdd cleared his throat again. “Cassandra is...a very gifted oracle...Apollo’s favorite. But, no, she most certainly is not the
last
oracle.”
“Who is then, you fool?” demanded Hades.
Myrdd lifted a hand. “If you must have a member of the third triumvirate, there is only one possible exchange—me.”
“No, Myrddin!” Shinsu said.
Myrdd turned to Shinsu. “I am the only possible replacement.”
Shinsu stepped forward. “Then I will go with you!”
Myrdd brushed his hand over her face and then smiled at Shinsu. “Forgive me, Sue, but I have lived too long in the quagmire of this mind and I long for the golden fields of Elysian. I am the first oracle. There is one designee for the first oracle...and that is you, my wife. That is why Jeremiah required your union!”
“Myrddin, how long am I to stay here without you?” Shinsu said, with sudden panic in her voice. After all of these years, she finally had him with her and now he would be gone.
“Until the council is no more,” he said sadly. With a tear in her eye, Shinsu threw her arms around Myrdd’s waist, as his arms encircled her with a yearning older than Delos. He pressed his lips to her forehead and she moved her mouth to his. Then he suddenly jerked away, knowing that if he didn’t, he would never leave and without turning back, he stepped onto Charon’s boat. Once onboard, he turned to face Shinsu, his eyes filled with longing.
“Hades, will you release Cassandra now?” Alex asked, feeling the desperation in his chest.
“If that was what was intended, you should have had my agreement first! Myrddin is no bargain—he has not had his wits about him for many years. However, I am a fair man and I shall accept Myrddin and Aegemon for you, Alexander.” Then he pursed his lips and said, “I believe that the boy has been attempting to trick me! It is known throughout the land that this council was formed by Myrddin, Cassandra, and Apollo! And so the third triumvirate was dissolved only months after its inception when Apollo left for the Elysian Fields.”
“Well it wasn’t. And Val—I mean, Cassandra—was there because the last oracle hadn’t been born yet. So Val was standing in...
it was kind of an emergency,” Caleb explained.
“What are you talking about, boy?” Hades
demanded, his patience diminishing.
“Well, Val was what you call...um...a vessel for the last oracle.”
“Genni?” Alex said, stunned.
“Yeah, cool, huh!” Caleb laughed. “And Genni would have to agree to go with you, but she can’t talk yet.”
“Cassandra, I give you your voice, and demand an answer once and for all. Are you, or are you not, the last oracle?”
The specter of Valeria stepped toward Hades.
“No, I am not. I am, however, a designee for the last oracle.”
“This is ridiculous! This council was dissolved as soon as there was no designee for Apollo!”
“Apollo did not leave this council without a qualified designee.” Valeria lifted a hand. “Apollo and Coronis produced a son, Asclepius and the legend does not do him justice. The son was imprisoned in an electrical cocoon for over a thousand years, but was finally set free by Myrdd.”
“The child did not live! He was killed by Zeus’s lightning bolt!” Jeremiah grumbled.
“It was not from Zeus. It was from you, Hyperion. And Asclepius was not killed. From that incident, Zeus banished you from history,” Valeria said.
“That child is dead!” Jeremiah insisted.
Valeria shook her head and smiled. “The third triumvirate is alive and is in control of this council. As a result, Hades, you must ensure that it still exists.”
“I will take the boy as an exchange!”
“The boy cannot go. He is Apollo’s designee.”
“Caleb?”
Alex asked.
“I am willing to resolve this. But I must have an exchange!” Hades said.
“There is someone who wishes to go.” Valeria looked toward the oracles and said, “Your brother, Apollo, and his wife, Coronis, are awaiting your arrival with open arms.”
The oracles began looking at one another in confusion. Hades spotted the subject of Valeria’ communication and nodded to Valeria, approving the exchange.
Daphne covered her mouth as a sob escaped. Paolo stared as she whispered in awe,
“My brother forgives me?”
Valeria smiled softly and nodded.
Paolo said, “You aren’t...Daphne?”
Daphne put her hand on Paolo’s arm. “My name was
Artemis Daphnaia
. If I had gone to Alex with my given name, he never would have...” Then she brushed her hand across Paolo’s face. “I am sorry. It seems that I have done nothing but cause pain. Forgive me, Paolo. You have been such a...sweet distraction.”
Paolo lowered his brow and swallowed as she started to walk away. He reached for her hand and pulled it to his mouth. “I will miss you!”
As Daphne headed toward Charon’s Ferry, Valeria’s image stepped off and the two women took hands. Daphne smiled softly and said, “Please take care of Alex...and Paolo. They are very special to me.”
Then Daphne stepped onto Charon’s ferry as Valeria’s image faded from Delos.
“My business is done here,” Hades said with a gleam in his eyes that cast a frightening glow through Delos. Then he turned and walked down the River Styx.
Caleb turned around to face the immortals. “I think everyone had better leave.” Then he added, “Well, except for Alex.”
Jeremiah lifted his hands. “
No one
is leaving here now! I alone announce the ending of a council meeting and I have not done so,” he said.
Ignoring Jeremiah’s remark, Caleb said to the immortals, “If you don’t leave now, you’ll probably be trapped here forever.”
Shinsu nodded with tears in her eyes.
“Caleb—what’s going on?” Alex asked.
“It’s the next thing...and it’s pretty cool! You’ll like it! I figured we needed something even cooler than just fighting off the bad guys. So, I got this idea from Jonah. You only get to do it after you finished battling the bad guys though...and we’ve still got two more to go.”
Suddenly, the gondolas began to fill with immortals, frantically escaping Delos.
Alex was still in stunned silence as Lita came to him with Genni. Alex kissed his daughter’s head and he said to Lita, “You had better take her out of here.” He drew a short nervous breath. “Hopefully, we’ll see you soon.”
A moment later, Paolo joined Alex and Caleb.
“You aren’t leaving?” Alex asked, and Paolo shook his head. Then Shinsu came to stand by them. There was a roar of thunder from outside the cave.
“Caleb, do we have time to wait for the
trogs?” Lars asked.
“Um...I don’t think so,” Caleb said. The immortals, listening to Caleb’s words, began to throw the dribs into the river as more of them clamored aboard each gondola.
The immortals had left and the oracles were filing into the last of the gondolas. Mani helped Lita into the gondola with Genni, when a frightening howl filled Delos.
With a battle cry, Jeremiah stomped confidently toward the gondolas without the use of his cane.
“Do you think I am going to permit all of this? Who do you think I am?” he bellowed. In an instant, he appeared to be nearly seven feet tall.
“I AM THE SON OF GAI AND URANUS!” His voice filled Delos, causing the crystal chandeliers to clink together from the reverberation of his voice. He reached into the gondola as it was leaving Delos and tried to yank Genesis from Lita’s arms.
“No, Jeremiah! You can’t have her!” Lita said. Jeremiah leveled his arm against Lita’s face and her head cracked on the edge of the gondola.
Typically calm, a dangerous expression filled Mani’s eyes as he leveled the oar like a baseball bat. As Jeremiah began to laugh, Mani lifted the oar and swung it at Jeremiah hitting him in the chest with the force of a professional baseball player. Jeremiah flew across the room, hit the back wall and sunk to the ground. He shook his head trying to regain focus and charged at the gondola that was now exiting Delos, plucking the child from Lita’s arms.