The General was standing above the bed of Hephaestus checking his vital signs by reviewing the holographic monitor that had formed over his bed.  His face showed concern and all that watched the General knew that the situation appeared dire, but they did not completely understand everything that had transpired.  It was hard to believe that the god of fire laid injured, close to death after suffering what the General said was torture.

Rose continued to pilot the ship, but now that they were flying through space more than ten times the speed of light, she could only watch and allow the spaceship to do all the work.  Tharros sat in the copilot chair and appeared to be in deep thought about everything that had occurred.  It was hard to imagine that not too long ago, her world had everything she ever wanted.  Then in a blink of an eye, it changed, and everything was gone. No one knew who these creatures were and why they took everything she had.  Now her eyes had been opened to a world that she never thought possible to exist and the reason her family was gone.  Her world and their world have collided and every day it took everything she had left to continue to go on. 

Rose looked at Tharros and could see that her mind was racing but also sensed the sadness she felt.  She stood not wanting to bother her but also, she wanted to check on Hephaestus.  As she was about to leave the cockpit, she felt impressed to say something.  She stopped and looked at Tharros.  “Hey!” Tharros looked at Rose with a shocked expression.  “That was some nice piloting.  Not anyone can fly this ship.”  Tharros could see that Rose meant what she said.  Tharros nodded but did not say anything.  Rose walked out of the cockpit, stopped, and then poked her head back in the cockpit and said, “Thanks for saving our lives.” 

Tharros again looked at Rose and smiled.  “You’re welcome.  Thanks for getting us out of that mess.”  Rose nodded and left the cockpit and walked over to where the General was standing.  Tharros sighed heavily and closed her eyes as she escaped back into her dreams of what her life was before all this happened.

The General was looking through their patient’s vital signs as Rose walked up next to him.  He gave her a small nod and then continued to review the patient’s progress.  After a few moments, she finally asked, “How bad is it?”  She could already sense that his condition was not good.

He turned and looked at her with a face showing no emotion.  “The chance of survival is very unlikely.  He has much internal damage and the wounds are not healing.  I can tell that this is his work.”  He then shook his head in disgust and then yelled, “He tortured him until he got what he wanted!”  The General slammed his fist against the table and the ship shook, surprising everyone on board.  Rose closed her eyes and bowed her head in shame knowing she was the one that led Zeus to him.

After a few moments, Dunamis stood looking confused.  “I do not understand.  How can the god of fire, the god of war be dying?  He is a god.  My family has worshiped him for years.  He blessed us with courage and wisdom to take out our enemies when we were oppressed.”  He paused and sighed heavily.  “We were hoping he would come to save us when the Kraken attacked.  Even after they left our homes in ruins, we still had hope that he would bless us with power to take back our homes.”

The General turned and faced the Centaur.  He knew the Centaur’s species and how they regarded Hephaestus as their protector.  The General pondered on what words might be best to say and nothing came to his mind.  He then quietly said, “He would have saved your world if he could.” He then looked around at the rest of the crew.  “We would have saved all of your worlds.”  He then looked at Rose and gave a heavy sigh.  “We’re just not strong enough.”  Rose nodded in approval.

A few moments passed and then Gelio said, “You looked to be kicking a lot of butts back there on that planet.”  She began to do karate chops with her hands.  “I wish I had your moves.”  Rose rolled her eyes, and the General showed no emotion but did shake his head slightly.  The rest of the crew gave a light laugh then all returned to the situation at hand.

“Why was your brother being tortured?” asked Igetis.  “What was it that Zeus wanted from him?” 

The General smiled at Igetis, and everyone could tell that the General was not wanting to tell him.  “There are dark secrets that we do not need to discuss right now, but we will when the time is right.”  The General then turned around and began monitoring the vital signs of his injured brother.  “Right now, we need to return to Olympus and see if we can save Hephaestus’s life.”

“What are the chances of him lasting until then?”  asked Rose, her face filled with anxiety.

“It is small, but he is strong.”

Igetis stood and walked over to where the General and Rose were standing.  He looked at the face of Hephaestus and appeared to be deep in thought.  He then looked up at the General and met his confused stare and then he gave his famous smile.  “I am sorry.  I do not mean to pry.  It is just that I have heard much about this individual.  There are many stories of him and of you two.  But this individual fascinates me.  Was he truly a blacksmith of the gods?  Did he make all your weapons?”

The General seemed slightly irritated at the questions with his brother being close to death, but he could see that Igetis was not wanting to insult anyone, only to understand.  “His talent was that of making weapons.  He designed most of them and other items that Zeus had him create.”

“I sometimes dreamed of being a blacksmith,” said Igetis at the surprise of the General and Rose.  “Working with molten metal and creating swords and hammers.  Being able to hold in my hand the creations that I had made.” This brought a smile to both the faces of the General and Rose.  He then turned to the General and asked, “So, after we return to Olympus and save your brother’s life, what do we do then?”

“So certain of the future, are we?” remarked the General with a hesitant look.

Igetis smiled. “Mostly certain, but I trust you and Rose will do whatever it takes to save your brother.”

The General rubbed his eyes and gave out a heavy sigh.  “Hopefully you are correct for my brother’s sake. But where we go from there, I do not know.  Right now, it is hard for me to think past my brother surviving or not.”

“Zeus has legions of followers with what we all saw today,” remarked Dyamion.  “Will he not now return to Olympus and take back what he lost?”

“That I am not certain,” answered Rose.  “Zeus remarked something about losing his Kingdom and for some reason, he cannot return.”

“But why?” asked Gennai.  “What would be preventing him from landing on his own planet?”

“Does he think the galaxy is unworthy of being his kingdom?” asked Atromitos with her tail swinging slowly back and forth.

“We know nothing for certain and speculating will get us nowhere,” responded the General seeming more irritated.

“So, we sit and watch him continue to take over the rest of the Universe?” asked Dunamis growing more irritated.  “With the power that we saw and the followers he has under his control, there is no stopping him.”

“Do we warn other systems, recruit others to fight him?” asked Gennai.

“I doubt they would stand a chance,” remarked Atromitos.  “Many worlds as we all know did not stand a chance against the Kraken.”

“None of them will be able to stop him,” commented Rose.

“I am sorry, but it is unclear what more we can do,” explained the General. His tone was rising.  “What can you say to these systems?  A god that has been imprisoned for fifteen hundred years has now been set free.  You have no way to stop him so join him.  He may not give them a choice to follow him, but just destroy their world and take what he wants.”

“There has to be some hope that we can give them,” said Atromitos. Her tail was now swinging rapidly.  “Some weakness that they can use to fight him.  They just can’t give up.”

“The Kraken just destroyed our homes and then took us prisoners,” commented Makarios.  “With Zeus, there is nothing we can do.”

“I need time to think on what to do next,” commented the General.  “The best thing to do is return to Olympus, try to save Hephaestus, and then….” 

“So, tell us Great Perseus,” demanded Dunamis, almost yelling which made the General turn his head quickly to look at him.  “How do we stop the powerful Zeus!?  Your plan of leaving him as a prisoner on his home planet did not work!  You allowed the Kraken to massacre countless worlds!  Now you stand there with no answers!”  Everyone was shocked at what they were hearing.  Tharros had now left the cockpit and was standing with a face of shock on what she heard.  “We have read your stories of killing great monsters and leading legions into battle to defeat your enemies!  You are the mighty Perseus, and you have no answers!”  Igetis walked over and placed a hand on his shoulder trying to calm the situation.

Everyone was expecting the General to defend himself with harsh words.  They all could see his eyes were pure black. But slowly they began to turn back to their original color.  He then bowed his head, and everyone could tell he was thinking about what to say.  “You are correct, Centaur.  We are responsible and I promise you that I will defend every one of you even with my life to stop Zeus from killing anyone of you.”  The words struck directly to the heart of everyone on that ship.  They could tell he meant every word.

 

 

For the rest of the trip, there was almost no talking as everyone pondered and feared about what was to happen next.

They arrived back to Olympus in record time and immediately Hephaestus was taken to the great hospital facilities in the Temple of the Sky.  While Rose and the General used all the medical techniques that they possessed, the rest of the crew sat silently in the dining hall trying to enjoy a meal.  Not many were eating as they were worried about the near future.  What they witnessed made them remember what happened to their worlds.  Seeing the endless Kraken ships along with other enemy ships that they had never seen, brought back nightmares and all knew that soon there will be no place to hide.

Igetis, sensing that their minds were all pondering on darker times, gave words of encouragement.  “We have accomplished so much our little band of soldiers.  Each one of us has sacrificed greatly to get us here, and I feel that we are here for a purpose.  Something led us here so that we may find hope.  And with a little bit of hope, much can be accomplished.”

“I know you are trying to help,” commented Dyamion.  “But for what purpose could we possibly be here.  To discover the creator of our enemy just before they destroy us all.  To allow an evil being to be set free so he can continue his plan of dominating the Universe.  It seems that us being here has done much more harm than good.”

“Sometimes the answers are not plainly visible at first,” remarked Igetis.  “I know I have said this multiple times, but I know we are supposed to be here.”

“Seeing the Kraken ships again and the power that they possess brought back so many bad memories,” said Tharros in a low, troubled whisper.  Everyone on the team had noticed that she had been out of place. 

“Me too,” said Gennai trying to encourage her.  “I did not tell you, but you were wonderful in flying that ship.  No one else could have figured out how to fly a spaceship as quickly as you, and you saved us all.”

She gave a slight smile.  “Thanks, Rat!”

“Gennai is right,” said Igetis.  “You showed amazing courage.  You trusted your instincts and reacted, overcoming your fears.  That is exactly what you must do to overcome your memories.  We must all find a way to go on.”

“It is difficult to go on when the god you have been worshipping since you were young is sitting in a hospital bed, fighting for his life,” remarked Dunamis in a half sarcastic tone.  “How can I find the strength when it seems everything that I hoped would help me cannot even help themselves?”

“It is true Dunamis,” said Igetis in a calming tone.  “Our eyes have been open to many secrets that none of us thought possible.  But I do feel there are answers yet to come.  The end is not near for us, but I feel there is a new beginning quickly approaching.”  He looked around at everyone, smiling with the now-famous smile that he does.  “The gods need our help.”

The team sat and talked about many things for the next three hours.  They joked, laughed, cried, and did everything that friends do to help each other out.  It seemed that they were becoming more than friends, but that they were a family.  A unique family to put it mildly but a family, nonetheless.

 

 

After three hours past, the General walked into the dining hall with a somber face.  He walked right up to Igetis and let out a heavy sigh.  Everyone was expecting the worse because of the General’s reactions.  He then gave a slight smile and said to Igetis, “It continues to amaze me that a ‘talking fish’ knows so much about the future.”

Igetis smiled.  “So, I take it, your brother will survive?”

“He is not totally out of danger, but his recovery is looking very promising.”

“That is good news!” Dunamis said, almost shouting.

“I think he would like to hear that personally from you, Centaur,” the General said to Dunamis with a smile.  “I will let you know when he is strong enough to talk to you.”

“Thank you,” Dunamis said quietly, nodding his head as a kind gesture.

The General then turned back to Igetis.  “I think what we need now is rest.  We all have had a long couple of days and then we can discuss the next steps.”

“I agree,” said Igetis.  “We all can use a goodnight’s sleep.”

“I do not know how we can sleep when it feels like the Universe is being destroyed,” remarked Makarios.

“Yes,” agreed Gelio.  “It feels like a galactic empire is out to rule the Universe with the extraordinary power they hold.  We need to form a group to stop them.  We can call ourselves the Rebellion…or the Resistance.”

The General upon hearing this gave a heavy sigh.  “I know sleep will be tough, but we have plenty of rooms where you can rest comfortably.  In the morning, we can discuss what can be done.”

“What if he is already advancing tonight?” asked Atromitos.  “What if he is coming here?  We will not be ready to defend ourselves.”

“This planet has a pretty good defense system,” explained the General.  “We left it deactivated because we did not want to destroy any wandering ships or others that decided to crash land upon it.  It will let us know if any ships are within the galaxy perimeters.”

“I know that I can use a goodnight’s rest,” commented Tharros.  “I just don’t know if I will be able to sleep.”

“We do have herbs that can help you sleep if you wish?” asked the General.  “I am at your service.”

“Do you have any small white mice?” asked Gelio.  The General gave her a confused look.  “I eat mice to help me sleep.  I am part snake.”

“Sorry, we are fresh out of mice.”

“Come everyone,” Igetis said as he stood.  “Let us all try to get some rest.  We have not slept in a nice comfortable bed for quite some time.  I feel that all of us will sleep well tonight.”

Everyone retired to separate bedrooms.  Each room was luxurious and spacious.  All felt as if they were royalty.  They each found that sleep came easy because, as Igetis had said, it had been a while since they slept in such comfort.

 

 

As the night passed on, the General was awakened by someone calling his name.

“Perseus.” 

The voice was deep and mild in tone.  It was not angry but gentle.  The General opened his eyes, but he was not in his bedroom.  He found himself high upon a mountain, surrounded by clouds, looking over what appeared to be planets.  Thousands of planets of different sizes and colors all circling large suns.  There were nebulas and bright stars all caressing the dark sky.  It was true beauty.

The General stood and began to walk around, not knowing where he was, or if he was awake.  Then he heard his name again.

“Perseus.”

The voice was still gentle and mild in tone.  He looked around to see who had called his name.  He felt afraid that he had come and had somehow invaded his mind.

“Perseus.”

The third time he heard it and he saw who was calling him.  An individual appeared a few feet from where he was standing.  He appeared to be his species.  He had long white flowing hair and a white beard.  His eyes were pure blue, and his face appeared to show someone kind and loving.  His clothes were a white robe that ended at the ankles and the wrists.  The robe was tied with a red sash around the waist.  His feet were bare and his hands as well.  He carried nothing in his hands and did not appear to be a threat of any kind.

“Who are you?” asked the General.

“Who is it that you think I am?”  this individual asked with a large smile.

“I am not certain, but a supreme being to some extent.”

“Who I am is not as important as who I represent.”

“Who do you represent?”

“Many.”

The General looked confused, and this individual could see this.

“You are the Great Perseus.  You have lived in this Universe for thousands and thousands of years.  Far longer than most species live on thousands of other planets.  You have been given a gift at being able to experience many generations of species and have been given great power.  This great power, in many instances, has been used to help many species.  Due to this, many have looked at you as a god. A protector.  A hero.  There are hundreds of stories of how you defended many against monsters of evil and took down enemies that threaten destruction on others.  You used the power that you were blessed with, wisely.”

The General’s eyes did not leave this individual’s face because he sensed the true power this individual held.  He was amazed at the whiteness of his hair and the boldness in his voice.

“Your father has not.”

The General heard the change in the individual’s voice and could sense anger.

“He has exploited this great power.  Used it to bolster himself and make himself something he is not.  He has killed thousands even millions in hopes to create his great kingdom.  He has created creatures and monsters to terrorize, even punish those that dare oppose him.  You, Perseus, know firsthand this experience.”

The General could only continue to stare.  He was too scared to speak.

“Now is the time to correct the wrongs he has done.”  The individual looked at Perseus with his pure blue eyes and waited patiently for the General to speak.

The General seemed even more confused at what was last said.  He sighed and then found the strength to speak. “What do you mean? How do we correct the wrongs that have been done?”

The individual began to walk around the top of the mountain, looking down at the view below.  “What is it that you see, Perseus?” He pointed at the view below.

“I see many planets.  All look to be populated with many species.”

“There are thousands upon thousands of planets in this great Universe.  All of them are populated with many different species all evolving, learning, and growing at their own pace.  Each of them, hoping for a better life, and a stronger future.”  The individual then turned and looked deep into Perseus’s eyes.  He then said quietly but powerfully, “All planets in each realm, watched and looked after by their own God.”

The General pondered for a moment and then became shocked at what he had heard.  “You mean that each of these Worlds was created by different gods?  That there are more than one?”

“You know this, Perseus,” the individual said gently.  “The Universe is divided into many realms, where gods have created planets for their children to grow, learn and become better.  But we are all connected, and the Universe has changed so much that many realms have converged.  In many instances, this has been glorious because many species have learned to grow together, and God continues to watch over them.”  His voice changed to anger once again.  “With Zeus, it has been disastrous.  He has created his own power and exploited it for the want of tricking many into believing that he is their god.  With this power, he has imprisoned many, even after death.  His creations have continued to spread across this Universe and are destroying the lives of so many and disrupting the balance of power in this Universe.  He is literally damning future creations and halting the purpose of life in this Universe.”    

The General was amazed at what he was hearing and still, he felt he always knew.  “I always thought there were Supreme Beings out there creating worlds.  There had to be someone out there organizing the Universe.”  He then paused and pondered on the words he had just heard.  “If you knew what he would do, why did you not stop him?”

This individual who represented Many, gave a large smile and said, “Because there is always a purpose.”

The General looked at him more confused than ever, but then his mind became enlightened.  “You are the one who gave Igetis the memories to free Zeus!  You led him to Olympus!”

“You’re beginning to see already.”

“But, why free him.  Why not send someone to destroy him or at least take away his powers?  Letting him free will only cause more destruction.”

“It is impossible to explain everything now, Perseus.  You will have to learn to trust us and our judgment.”

The General looked at the individual and began to ponder on if this could be a trick.  Could this be a follower of Zeus wanting to confuse him into allowing Zeus total control of the Universe?

The individual’s pure blue eyes became brighter, and a white light enveloped him.  “Perseus.  I know your thoughts and I understand your feelings.  But search your heart and your mind.  Do they tell you that I am a follower of your father?  Do they tell you that I am here to destroy you?”

The General could feel his heart burn and his mind became open and he saw visions of things to come.  They were marvelous and wonderful and then they were gone.  He looked at the individual and could see goodness on his face. “Are those visions real?  Will they come to be?” asked the General quietly but with a hopeful desire.

The individual stepped forward and placed a hand on the General’s shoulder.  “That depends on the choices that you and your friends make from here on.  Choices that will not be easy to make.  But if you follow our judgment and council, the future looks incredibly bright.  Trust is the first step.”  The individual then walked away and looked at the thousands of planets below.

“If you know the future,” stated the General, “then you know what he is capable of and what he is wanting to do.”

“Yes.”

“Then how do I stop him.”

“You don’t.”

The General’s face immediately turned to shock.  He did not understand what good would come from allowing Zeus to cause so much destruction.  “Then you must be mad!  Millions more will die, and thousands of Worlds will be destroyed!  I do not see a bright future by allowing Zeus to accomplish his plans.”

“Millions will not die because of you,” the individual then paused, and a giant smile comes across his face, “and your new friends.”

“I do not understand.”

“In time you will.  You will learn their purpose and they will help you in ending Zeus’s reign.”

“How?” the General questioned, stunned by the individual’s answer. “How will they be able to help in overcoming Zeus’s power and his followers?”

“You already know the answer to that.”

Again, the General’s mind was enlightened, and he could see what must be done.  “That will be a tough road for them to accomplish such a request.”

“That is why we have chosen them.”

The General’s face again turned to shock, and he had a hard time believing what he had just heard.  “They have been chosen!”  He began to shake his head and rub his eyes because he did not believe it was possible. “Really!? Them!?  They are so…. unique!”

“That they are, but they have been prepared for this tough journey ahead of them and you will ready them to accomplish what needs to be done.  They are a power that is rising towards greatness, and they will be powerful allies in overcoming Zeus.”

The General then looked down and put his hand through his dark black hair.  A thought continued to trouble him.  “But why must we allow Zeus to be successful in his plan.  That will bring monsters and creatures into a world that no one will be able to stop.  Powerful forces will bring about terrible things.  Worlds will be destroyed, and many species will have nowhere to go.”

“Because only Zeus can bring about his own destruction.”

“I do not understand.”

“In time you will,” explained the individual that represented Many.  “Each time that Zeus opens a new door, you and your friends will be there to conquer everything that comes through that door.”  The individual then began to walk towards a glowing white light that suddenly appeared.  “This is where I leave you, Perseus.  But we will meet again.”

“Wait!” yelled the General.  The individual stopped and looked at him.  “This plan will bring about much destruction.”  The individual nodded in agreement.  “Many will have no place to go.”  The individual nodded once again.  “Where will they go if their homes are destroyed?”

The individual then waved his hand at the planets below and they had now changed showing the galaxy known as Olympus.  The image that the General saw was stunning even to him who had seen this sight numerous times.  “There are many planets here waiting for those looking for a new home.  Build the Kingdom, Perseus, and their future will be bright.”

“But Zeus?” questioned the General.  “How will we stop him if he attacks?”

The individual smiled and said, “He will not because he cannot.  We have given Olympus to you as a haven from him. Use its power and its resources to defend the Universe.”  The individual then stepped into the light and then turned and looked at the General.  “The battle for the Universe has begun.”  He gave a large smile and then suddenly he was gone.

The General then awoke and he sat up in his bed.  He was alone in his room and many thoughts were rushing through his head.  Then, a large sly smile appeared across his face.