Tomb of Zeus (Atlantis) (3 page)

He looked out from his ship and felt his isolation.

“They need the scepter,” he said to himself. “They
MUST
have it.”

In his mind, he cal
culated the time it would take to return home. With only two slaves left to row, he knew he might die before they returned.

“You there. Stand and approach me,” he shouted to the two men at the end of the boat.

He pointed the scepter and shouted, “Don’t force me to call you again.”

“Yes, my Lord. We’re coming,” the two shouted back.

Slowly, they stood through their pain and shuffled closer, fearful with every step they took. Nearing the middle of the boat, Zeus held up his hand.

“St
op right there. You two grab an oar and commence rowing,” he shouted, his tone harsh, yet weak.

He pointed the scepter at the two and eyed them with contempt. Both men immediately move to opposite side
s of the boat, grabbed an oar and proceeded as ordered. He watched the two match their rowing in synchronization, then stood up and stumbled back to the tiller. He leaned across it for support and began to turn the boat on a heading back toward land.

Staring up at the midmorning sun, he realize
d he would be dead before the sun set that day. He felt a moment of fear, then stiffened his resolve, knowing his brother’s world depended on his return. He took in a deep breath and cleared his mind.

As the boat came around to its new heading, he tossed a colored cork into the water behind him.
In seconds, it passed the end of the rope and he calculated their speed. A worried expression crossed his face.

“We won’t make
it,” he thought to himself.

He pointed the scepter, squeezed the grip and shot a bolt of energ
y between the two rowing slaves

“Faster. We need more speed,” he spat angrily.

The two slaves shot each other bitter stares, then answered, “Yes Sir.”

Zeus watched the two men row. As h
is vision faded in and out of focus, he took deeper breaths to try and push greater amounts of oxygen through his body. With each deep breath he took, he winced in pain causing him to hyperventilate. He forced his breathing to slow, only to see his vision fade again. Repeating his breathing cycle over and over, his condition grew weaker.

Four hours later, still hunched over the tiller, he barely had the strength to stay conscious. His bloody tunic clung to his body and dripped onto the deck, pooling at his feet. Over time, his eyelids shut, only to open just before collapsing. As
his condition worsened, Bolar and Euclid watched closely, hoping for any chance at overpowering him and obtaining their freedom.

Zeus’ breathing became shallow once more. Soon, his eyelids shut and he began to waver in his stance. As his balance shifted from one leg to the other, the tiller moved with him, causing the boat to steer off course. Almost immediately,
Bolar took notice.

“
Euclid, Zeus’ eyes are shut once more. Now’s our chance. I’ll man both oars while you sneak up and take his scepter.”

Euclid
looked back toward Zeus. Although his condition was grave, he new the king would eventually open his eyes. If he were caught, the consequences could be dire.

“You go,
Bolar. I’ll man the oars,” he responded in worried tone.

“Are you afraid of a dying man?”
Bolar asked.

“Are you?”
Euclid challenged.

Bolar
thought about his own cowardice, then responded, “Ok, I’ll go. But once I have the scepter, I will be the one that rules the world.”

Euclid
looked back at Zeus once more. Although he faded in and out of consciousness, he posed too great a threat for his liking. Reluctantly, he responded, “I’ll row. You take the scepter.”

Bolar
moved quietly toward the rear of the boat. Rowing steadily with one hand on each oar, Euclid watched over his shoulder with great anticipation. With the boat turning in a tighter circle, the ocean’s waves began to slap at its side, jarring the wooden craft. Suddenly, a larger wave slammed across the stern, knocking Zeus to the deck. His eyes opened but were blurred. Fifteen feet away, Bolar stopped in his tracks. He stared at the fallen King unsure of his next move. He was too far away from the oars to return without being caught and too close to Zeus to ignore his chance at freedom.

In a moment of impulse, he dashed toward Zeus. Pumping his arms and legs, he made up his mind to chance death for freedom. With mere feet from his adversary, Zeus’ eyes cleared and his mind sharpened.

“
GET HIM!
” Euclid shouted loudly, realizing the two were now caught.

Zeus reacted on instinct. In reflex to an aggressor, he tried
to move his arm to defend himself, but his body refused to respond. As Bolar rushed in, shock at the reality of his situation came clear in his mind. His worst worry was about to be realized.

Bolar
grinned and evil smile as he neared. Just a few steps and he could kick the scepter from his oppressor. He would be free.

Zeus’ adrenaline coursed through his body. His fingers tingled and his
remaining eye sharpened. He tightened the muscles in his hand.

Bolar
took another step and froze. His muscles contracted and he felt confusion surge through his mind. As his body began to convulse, he fell forward onto the energized scepter, slicing him in two.

Euclid
watched in horror as his friend shrieked in agony. Still alive, Bolar reached for his severed extremities, his body now functioning solely on reflex. As his hand touched his separated torso, he felt a moment of sadness, then died.

Seeing the death of his friend,
Euclid turned and rushed rearward. Zeus pointed the scepter at the approaching slave and waited. Euclid instantly stopped. He wanted to continue but knew any further steps would end in his own death.

“You’ve killed
Bolar. He was my friend. Soon you will be too weak to defend yourself and you will surely pay for your offense. I promise you that,” he spat acidly.

“I’ll kill you long before you ever touch this scepter,” Zeus shouted back, then added, “Now get back to rowing.”

Euclid looked down at his friend. Bolar was now part of the carnage that still remained strewn about the deck. The stench of death was now overpowering as disemboweled bodies rotted in the sun. Reluctantly, he turned and headed back to his station.

Zeus release
d his grip on the scepter and the beam of energy disappeared. He reached up and grabbed the tiller. Pulling himself to a standing position, he took a moment to catch his breath. He watched Euclid as he rowed, then looked far past him. A slow smile spread across his face.

“Land,” he said to himself quietly. “
Maybe, just maybe.”

He turned the tiller slightly and righted their course. For a moment, he felt a surge of relief and the promise of success.

An hour later, the distant land grew larger in their view and its hazy light-blue color became darker and more distinct. Seated in a pool of blood, Zeus now lacked the strength to stand and his head bobbed routinely as he faded in an out of consciousness. With his eyes closed momentary, his hand fell from the tiller and the boat began a gentle turn, drifting with the current.

Euclid
immediately took notice. Looking back over his shoulder, Zeus was now slumped against the tiller post. Looking back toward land, he guessed it would be an hour before they were spotted. To those on land, seeing Zeus’ boat returning only hours after his departure would raise suspicion. A party would then be sent to investigate. With time running out, worry festered in his mind. His only chance at survival was to take the scepter. Fear and apprehension coursed through his body. He looked back at Zeus once more and watched the king breathing sporadically. This was it. This was his chance.

Zeus’ mind drifted effortlessly from tangent to tangent. H
is visions moved from childhood games to adolescent adventures, then onto his younger years as an adult, finally recalling his latter ages in life that were filled with science and discovery. A sense of wellbeing came over him as he remembered his brother but was tempered with the sadness of missing his home. As the pain of his longing grew, it began to pull him from his unconscious state. His eyes parted slightly and his blurred vision picked up movement in front of him. He felt confused. The vision seemed out of place in the vision of his life. He stared at the blurred movement, trying to make sense of it. With each second that passed, his mind processed the logic of the event.

He took two more steps and waited. He watched Zeus’ eyes slowly open, then close. With his lungs ready to burs
t, he knew he needed to act. He bent over and stretched out his hands, his fingers just inches from the smooth crystal weapon. Suddenly, Zeus’ eye opened fully. Euclid froze, paralyzed by fear. He wanted to lunge for the scepter, but his mind refused to obey his muscles command. Slowly, Zeus’ eyes closed once more. Euclid felt relief and triumph. His presence still remained undetected. With his lungs begging for relief, he stood quickly and gasped in a loud breath of air. As he exhaled deeply, he recoiled his foot and launched it at the King’s hand and scepter.

Zeus’s mind
sharpened. Instinctually, he felt danger. His thoughts focused and his mind processed his last sight. He heard the sound of loud breathing and snapped his remaining eye fully open. He stared in shock as Euclid tried to kick the scepter from his hand. In reflex, he raised his hand and positioned the butt of the hand grip in the path of Euclid’s swinging leg.

Euclid
caught the sight of Zeus’ lighting reflexes only too late. The solid end of the crystal impacted his lower shin, just above the ankle. He let out a loud cry of pain and fell forward onto the king. Instantly, the two grappled for the weapon. Barely clinging to his scepter, Zeus threw his mighty arm around Euclid’s neck, choking him in headlock fashion. As Euclid clutched the crystal grip, he threw punches into Zeus’ side. With each blow, Zeus’s grip began to loosen.

Running out of air,
Euclid was desperate. He lifted his head and thrust it into Zeus’ chin, momentarily stunning him. He pulled on the scepter, nearly wrenching it from Zeus’ grasp. Zeus felt his strength nearly depleted. In seconds, he knew Euclid would overpower him and take the scepter.

“The power of the scepter is only for Gods. You will never have that power,”
Zeus growled through clenched teeth.

“I will kill you with your own scepter and then
I WILL
be God!” Euclid spat defiantly.

Zeus focused all his strength on the scepters’ grip. He squeezed the handle and activated its internal mechanisms. Suddenly, a beam of energy burst from the tip.
Euclid stared into Zeus’ eyes. Shock and pain registered on both men’s faces as the beam of energy cut through their bodies. As Euclid lost control of his muscles, he rolled off Zeus, the beam severing his arm and decapitating him. Zeus felt a surge of pain as the beam cut across his own body. Instantly, he relaxed his grip and the beam disappeared. He slumped to the deck barely breathing.

Gasping for breaths, his mind began to fade and vision blurred. He turned his head slightly and saw the dull lifeless eyes of
Euclid staring back at him. He smiled in satisfaction that he had won.

“Safe,” he uttered simply.

His eyes turned dull as the last remaining life left his body.

----- ----- ----- -----

“
POSEIDON! POSEIDON!
” yelled Tallus, as he ran toward the pyramid.

Poseidon turned abruptly
, hearing his name. He could see the frantic expression on Tallus’s face. He turned to Cephius and said in frustration, “What now? We can’t afford any more delays.”

“
Tallus is prone to exaggeration. I’m sure it’s nothing.”

“I’m sure you’re rig
ht,” Poseidon said with growing concern.

The two stood for a moment and watched as
Tallus ran to them. He came to a stop and breathed heavily, trying to catch his breath.

Poseidon stared menacingly and
said, “Well? I’m waiting. Is there a crisis or isn’t there?”

Tallus
exhaled loudly and blurted out his message: “Lord Zeus’ ship is returning.”

As
Tallus labored to breathe, Poseidon stared across the plains toward the ocean. He squinted hard and focused his vision. Suddenly, he spotted the tiny craft.

“You are correct,
Tallus. I see it,” he responded. Turning to Cephius, he said, “He’s not due back for another week. He must have forgotten something, although I can’t imagine what. I’m certain we’ve accounted for everything.”

“I hope it’s not about the pyramid,” Cephius replied with concern.

“Hmm, we just started pouring the gold. A change would be critical at this point,” Poseidon lamented.

Tallus
exhaled loudly, and blurted loudly once more, “One more thing Sirs. His ship is empty!”