Chapter 33 Part 2

Aries spoke, "METHEONS, WELCOME A LONG DEAD DEMIGOD! THIS IS HERCULES, WHO IN LIFE DID MANY GREAT DEEDS AS A WARRIOR. NOW I HAVE BROUGHT HIM HERE TO RIP YOU LIMB FROM LIMB!"

Hercules moved with superhuman agility. Each step was fluid--almost as if he were dancing. One could almost describe his movement through the Metheons as beautiful if it were also not so terrifying and deadly.

The Metheons were attempting to spread themselves out. When they had been rushing the city, they had bunched themselves into a group. When Hercules made his first pass through what remained of this group, it was like watching bowling pins fall without being able to see any balls pass through them. Hercules didn't use any weapons. He used his hands. One moment his hands would be in one place, and in the next another. Necks would snap and spines would break. It was like watching a terrified school of fish attempting to flee a shark.

The Undertwon people stood by in awe and fear. They were uncertain as to whether they should be thankful or preparing themselves against what might be coming. If Aries turned his attention to them, they would suffer the same fate as the Metheons. Who knew where Aries's loyalties would lie?

One by one the Metheons fell--all of them attempting to flee. It almost seemed like Hercules had disdain for them like he was snapping matchstick heads. It was surprising then when a lone Metheon apart from the group appeared to be moving toward Hercules. On his back appeared to be a shadow of an axe. Whereas the rest of the Metheons had daggers and robes, this figure stood out because he did not. he walked confidently--assured. What made it even stranger was that he walked confidently and in an assured manner toward Hercules who was systematically slaughtering the Metheons like cattle.

When the strange Metheon got within half a football length of Hercules, he stopped. he drew his axe from his back and appeared to take the edge of it to draw a line through the dirt.

"HERCULES! Do you enjoy slaughtering these cattle? I thought you were a warrior, and YOU ARIES, do you have no taste for the fight? Must you send your minions out to do your bloody work?"

Hercules froze in place. he turned his attention toward this unusual Metheon.

The Metheon spoke again. "My name is Freighton Hawborne of clan Perilon. Whatever you are, if you are warriors, then you will cross this line. When you do, you will face me in combat, and you will be destroyed!"

Aries began his horrible laughter again. As he collected himself, he focused his attention on Freighton.

"YOU ARE A BOLD MORTAL, FREIGHTON. YOU ARE ALSO STUPID TO RAISE YOUR FISTS IN BATTLE WITH A GOD. IF I SO WILLED IT, I COULD MAKE THE BLOOD IN YOUR BODY BOIL THIS INSTANT WITHOUT TOUCHING A SINGLE INSTRUMENT OF WAR. YET, YOU, UNLIKE YOUR COWARDLY BRETHREN, HAVE THE HEART OF A WARRIOR, THOUGH I KNOW YOU INWARDLY QUAKE. SINCE YOU HAVE BROUGHT I CHALLENGE, I WILL HONOR THIS FIGHT. I WILL NOT FIGHT YOU, FOR YOU WOULD LOSE. YOU WILL BATTLE HERCULES, AND SHOULD YOU SURVIVE, THEN YOU WILL HAVE SHOWN THE METHEONS HAVE SOME MERIT AS A CLAN YET--THAT THEY ARE NOT ALL COWARDS WHO FIGHT WITHOUT BRAVERY OR HONOR."

Sal watched the scene unfold from his concrete barrier with what could be best described as entrancement. Some part of him wished to turn away, but the larger part of him made him hold his eyes fast--to understand what his creation had wrought. He could see Hercules approach the line that Freighton had drawn in the dirt. Hercules appeared to look down, then looked straight ahead as he came across the line--locking his gaze with Freighton's.

Hercules appeared to need no weapon. Freighton gripped his axe although for whether it was defensive reflex or offensive intent it was hard to tell. Freighton and the evidently undead Hercules locked their eyes upon one another. Each one was ready for the other to move. Hercules appeared relaxed and loose, whereas Freighton appeared more tense and inwardly drawn. Sal hypothesized this was probably because Freighton had more to lose since he was not brought back from the dead. After standing in apparent deadlock for what seemed an eternity, Hercules began to shout and run toward Freighton. Likewise, Freighton began to run toward Hercules with his axe drawn. Like two Rams both gathering momentum, there would come a point when they would each slam into the other. If Freighton was lucky, he might still be alive after the exchange.