Chapter Thirty-One

And the same black line that was drawn on you
Was drawn on me
And now it's drawin' me in
6th Avenue Heartache
The WallFlowers

The Underworld

Thanks to Morpheus’ magick dream dust the three men in Altair Ain actually dreamed the events as Ares spoke them to Hades in the Underworld.  Hades, who would have ever thought him to fit into the role of Father Confessor but he did it well over tall chalices of warm Nectar. It had been so long since the God of War had remembered any of those people it made his heart hurt.  Then again, over the course of a few thousand years one does tend to come in contact with several million people and most of them are easier forgotten than remembered.  Now that Helena, Corey and Katie were remembered they wouldn’t go away until they were given voice.  “Why?” Ares finally asked as he drank the last in his fourth chalice of the slightly alcoholic brew.

“Why what?” Hades returned as he sensed a shift in the Underworld.  More visitors had arrived.

“Why does this always happen?” Ares asked as though he were speaking to a child. “Why do I always lose her?”

“You wanted Katie Elder?”

Ares pursed his lips and snarled. “No,” he admitted.  “She had a certain charm but no, I didn’t really want her.”  Katie was just a means to an end one that he was only now coming to feel badly over. “Helena, Corey, Guinevere and several others that are only now starting to come into my view, yes I wanted them in one way or another.”  He shook his head. 

“At least temporarily.” Hades added in a bemused tone knowing that Ares had no penchant for monogamy.

“You haven’t answered me; why?”

Everything does happen for a reason no matter how insane it might be.  However, Hades was but a humble servant to other stronger forces ones he had no wish to upset if it could be avoided.  “Why do you think?”

“Don’t play shrink with me,” Ares groused and refilled the chalice.  His head light from the Nectar and lack of real oxygen down here he over filled the glass and some of it went spilling onto the gleaming black marble table in front of him.  He put the decanter down with a hard thud.  “What does it matter what I think?”

“Believe me, Ares, the last thing I would want is to delve deeply into your psyche. I am not playing shrink with you.” Hades said in a very miffed tone.

“Where is he?”

“Get out of my way!”

“Move ya little squirt!”

“Ahhh,” Hades said cheerily as the sounds of the voices of Daniel, Nicholas and David came to his ears. His gaze went to the wall at the far end of the table where there sat a huge hourglass encased in gold and studded with jewels. It sat next to a very large mirror which had a very ornate silver frame depicting scenes of damn near everything you could think of and nothing at the same time.  It was hard to tell what with the way the images all melded into each other.  “I see that didn’t take long.”

The little gnome came scampering into the room just ahead of them. “Master,” he said as he wrung his hands, “it appears we have some…”

“Come in gentlemen,” Hades called without getting up. “I believe the man you’re looking for is in here.”

“What are they doing here?” Ares thundered at Hades. “You’ve conspired against me?” He charged.

Hades shook his dark head and touched his gloved fingertips to his lips. “Conspire, it’s such an ugly word, Nephew.”

The three Jackson men came barreling into the impeccable gleaming black room. “You lied!” Nicholas shot. “Gaylord was her husband he wasn’t just her lover!”

“It was a short marriage,” Ares returned through tight lips, “hardly a marriage at all.”

Nick wasn’t in any mood to put up with his Grandfather’s spin on events and he stormed across the room to haul Ares out of the chair and to his feet by the collar of his white linen shirt. “You killed them!”

Ares ripped Nick’s hand away from his body and gave the younger man a mighty shove. “Get off of me. I don’t owe you any explanations.” His eyes gazed to where the twin Jacksons stood. “Any of you.”

“You might owe Katie one.” David said in the same tone with his lips just as tight. “You pious bastard. You’re always going around sayin’ how a real warrior doesn’t hold down a woman…”

“I never touched her.” Ares said in his own defense.

“No, you just got them to do it all for you while you barked orders on what they should do to her and how hard.”

“She was a whore!” Ares railed still trying to defend himself. “You can’t rape a whore!” That was true, at least back then in the Old West.  There was no law against holding down a known prostitute and taking what you wanted, after all that’s what she was there for, whether or not she wanted to do it mattered not.

David felt the rising anger in his grow to a full rolling boil. That was why Katie hadn’t told Doc about it; it wasn’t illegal so who cared? Doc cared and David cared. “Yes, you can.”

Ares let out a little snicker and then grunted, “You ought to know.”

That was where David lost it and charged at the big man who still had Nick steaming at his side. Ares was too tall to land a square hit on his jaw and those abs were so tight all that would end up happening was that David would break a few fingers. Nick, taking more than a little delight in the current situation, moved behind his Grandfather to grasp Ares by the upper arms and hold him in place for the coming blow.  That proved to be of great assistance to David who was still trying to decide where he should land his cocked fist.  He went for a move some other fighters might not have when he landed that powerful fist—with of his weight and strength behind it— just to the left of the center of Ares’ powerful chest. Ares was braced for a possible landing on his lower jaw but more likely his throat, the heart punch came as an unwelcome surprise.

The God of War stumbled backward on legs which had suddenly become weak and unsteady. He was rudely shoved back in place was the strong arms of his Grandson.  The pain was bright and colorful it lit up in shades or reds and purples behind Ares’ stunned eyes. When he tried to draw a breath it grew more intense and his upper body protested heavily against the action.  His big mitts came up to clutch as his chest. Ares’ instinct was to shrug Nicholas off of him but when he tried Ares only succeeded in crashing to the ground despite Nicholas’ best efforts to hold him up.

Seeing his opportunity and always being one to take advantage of the opportunities offered to him David grabbed a hold of Ares’ head, his fingers grasping soft locks of raven hair.  He forced Ares’ head forward was he brought his knee up with much force and planted it beneath Ares’ chin. Ares’ teeth gnashed together and bit into his cheek, tongue and lip, drawing warm Ichor into his mouth. It trickled out of one corner in a slim red stream. Nick still had a good hold on those massive arms and David was lost to his rage. The dream had been so real it was as though he’d actually lived it and what he didn’t actually dream he knew anyway.  He could remember every single sensation of every single moment of the life of Doc Holliday.  Most of all he remembered how he’d loved Katie, she was so wild and free, oh god how he had loved that about her.  Ares took it away.  Ares didn’t just take Katie away from Doc he’d taken her away from herself.  When she’d come to tend Doc in his last days she was broken and beaten down that wild streak was tamed gone for good.  David landed a hard right fist on the big man’s jaw, Ares’ head reeled back on his shoulders and David cocked and aimed again.

“That’s enough,” said a soft and familiar voice from behind them.  “Let him up.”

It took a moment but David got his anger under control enough to relax his fist and turn around.  There was Calla, sort of, with Morpheus.  She wasn’t solid like they were she was transparent and he could see the doorway through her.

Hades cleared his throat as he stood up from his place at the head of the table and got down on one knee to bow before her. “Welcome, my Queen.  I am honored to have you here.”

Calla looked around until she saw Daniel standing off to right and then she smiled and tried to cross the room to him but Morpheus held on to her hand and held her back. Daniel walked to them. “Kitty?”  It had been weeks since he’d seen her up and walking and she looked so good!  Not only was she was talking and making sense but she looked so damn young. No more gray hair, it was all auburn once more and it shone like the sun. Her eyes didn’t have that haze of confusion in them when she looked over at him and gave him that lovely smile of hers.  Daniel understood that she wasn’t really here but rather her body was home tucked away warm in their bed and Morpheus had brought her here through the magick of the dust in his pouch.  “Is that you, baby?”  He reached out to touch her but his hand went through her and the flesh there grew cold as it passed over and then into what should have been her warm cheek.

“It’s me, my love.” Calla whispered and wanted desperately to take him in her arms and cover him with kisses.  There wasn’t time for such things because dreams were finite yet wonderful things.  Still she reached for his hand. “Thank you,” she said to him with twinkling eyes were even and untouched by the paralysis of her stroke. It felt so fantastic and so free to talk like a normal person once more.  Unhindered by her body which had turned cumbersome she wanted to dance and to sing but again, there wasn’t time for such frivolous things.

“For what?” Daniel felt tears stinging his blue eyes. He’d come down here to choke Ares half to death but when he saw Nick and David attack him, Daniel knew he didn’t have as much right to his anger as they did.  Dreams are strange things and on the trip down here they’d discussed theirs but they discovered that while each had his own dream each also already knew of the others dream almost as though they too had dreamed it yet they had not.  Nick was pissed because Ares killed him when he was Gaylord and he’d killed Helena, however inadvertently.  David was pissed because Ares orchestrated the attack on Katie Elder.  What had Ares done to Corey?  Nothing as far as Daniel could see.  Even on waking he didn’t get the feeling that anything untoward had ever gone on between them.  Clearly it was Bear who was responsible for Corey’s death Ares strangled Bear out of rage and sorrow at the loss of her. No one had to tell Daniel that Calla had the same dreams they did, that Morpheus had somehow tied their brains together for the night with his magick dust.

“You’re infinite patience and your boundless love.” Calla replied still trying to grasp his hand. The task proved heartbreakingly impossible.  “I love you, only you.”

A sad smile crossed Daniel’s lips.  To her that was true but he knew better. She loved the three bickering across the room too.  Still, she wasn’t lying to him.  Rather what Calla meant was that he, Daniel, was the only one she had romantic love for. Lust, desire and forbidden wantings were another thing altogether.  “I love you too, Kitty.” He sighed feeling a heavy weight in his heart.  He would do anything for her and that included sharing the bed with Satan Himself and/or the three across the room. Maybe now that she knew about Gaylord and Helena…now that they all knew about Gaylord and Helena…she might be a little less reluctant if it came down to it.

There was a sorrow in his voice that Calla couldn’t bare to hear it was reflected in those eyes she loved so much and echoed in his voice.  “I said let him up.” She said turning to her Son and David.  Nick let go and David stepped back while Ares slumped forward and caught himself by placing the palms on his hands on the cold marble floor onto which he spat out the Ichor in his mouth. A moment later he hauled his big body to his feet where he weaved unsteadily at first but soon regained what was left of his composure.  She let out a long rolling sigh and shook her head. “The four of you are my Army, huh?” Calla asked. “What a sad rag tag group I’ve got.”  They couldn’t get along with each other, especially not all four of them together at once, for less than an hour or so. In duos they were all right, except for Ares who almost always caused some level of friction.  Daniel got along with David all right and he got along with Nick just fine but Nick didn’t get along so well with his uncle and the feeling was mutual if the truth be told.  “What am I going to do with the four of you?”  Calla began walking toward her Father who was clearly still seeing double but Morpheus didn’t move at first. “Would you please?” She asked in an irritated voice and the King of Dreams followed Calla the few steps to where Ares was standing next to Hades.  Calla rolled her emerald eyes as she looked up at him and then reached out for Hades’ hand, again she couldn’t grab it but when she tried to raise it he understood what she wanted. Hades’ hand trailed hers until it lay on Ares’ chest at which time she made a little shoving motion. Hades gave the big man a slight push and he stumbled backward to sit in the chair behind him.  Calla leaned in to whisper something to him and glanced over her shoulder to see Morpheus right behind her. She laid a hand on his cheek and pushed his face away. “Do you mind?” Calla asked and when he stepped back a step and stood up straight she turned back to Ares who was still woosie in the chair.  “Did you do as I asked?” Calla whispered in his ear so that no one else could hear.

At first Ares wasn’t sure what she was talking about. What had she asked him to do? When?  The last thing she asked of him was, “On the planet?” He managed in a raspy whisper.  “On Sengul?” Those around them hadn’t heard Calla’s question but Ares’ voice was loud and deep enough to carry well in the marble room and all heard his reply.  “Yes, my Queen, I did exactly as you asked of me.” He wiped drying Ichor away from his chin and the corner of his mouth with the back of his hand.   Though why she should care about such a thing at a time like this was beyond him.

Yet, to Calla it was that ruthlessness in him that she was going to count on in the days ahead; his willingness to go to any length no matter how gruesome or brutal to accomplish his task.  “Good,” she whispered and stood up once more.  Looking around her Calla saw that they didn’t truly understand the dreams they’d had but they would.  When they had some quiet time to let it all meld in their heads they would understand.  In the meantime she would give them a little help.  “You will be my voice as you were Corey’s voice.”  She turned to David who stood there staring at her wondering what the hell was going on. “You will guard my spirit you will raise it and feed it, as you did Katie’s.”  Nicholas was next but Calla couldn’t meet his gaze when she spoke to him. Instead she found her gaze looking squarely at the ground at his feet.  “You will heal my body. You will build my strength as you did with Helena.”

“Mom?”

The sound of the tenderness in Nick’s voice almost brought her to tears.  Calla turned away from him without ever looking at him and raised her eyes to Daniel.  “As always my love, you are my heart.  There will never be any above you.”

That sounded incongruous to his dream.  “Was Bear Corey’s heart?” He asked.  It wasn’t Calla who answered but Ares.

“He was.”  Even though Corey had been falling in love with Ares Bear held her heart and had for a long time.  Every time Ares ventured to ask her to go to Greece with him or just to accompany him in public she would often ask what Bear would think or what he would say.  So strong was the fear of losing him that Corey chopped up the bodies of her frozen parents and made stew out of them so Bear would get better, he would recover from his horrible bout of influenza and he would not leave her.  Ares looked up at Nicholas for a moment and then back to Daniel. “Like me, you were only trying to protect your sister.”

Sure Bear was, of course he was.  Daniel suddenly realized that the dreams which had so infuriated them were not meant to tear the four of them apart but bring them together by showing them a few past mistakes.  He breathed a deep sigh of relief as he stood in the Black Palace.  Daniel looked over at Hades. “Is this the first time?”

“First time for what?” Hades asked as though he hadn’t a clue what Daniel was talking about.

Daniel gave a little snort and rolled his eyes; Olympians and their games, my how they loved them!  “First time we’ve all been together like this. In the same life time.” He clarified. “Ares knew all of us each time, in one way or another, but we didn’t all know each other.  I didn’t see David in….”

“Then you weren’t looking closely enough,” Morpheus intoned darkly.  He didn’t want to push the issue but David had known Corey McKinley and her brother Bear.

“Johnny Barrett,” Daniel grumbled and gave his brother an angry look.  David, at first unsure why he should be the target of such disdain, suddenly knew who Johnny Barrett was or had been.

“Looks like I fuck up a lot.” David mumbled sadly.  Calla looked at him and smiled.

“You’re true to your nature.” She corrected.

“Some nature,” he grumbled. “I’ve always been a lousy rat.”

Ares spoke up. “Ike Clanton,” he pointed at Daniel then at Nicholas, “Nathaniel, wasn’t it?  One of Doc and Katie’s sons.”

OK, so maybe it wasn’t the first time they were all together but it was the first time they were all together like this.  Ike hardly knew Doc or Katie. Nathaniel never met his father and probably had no idea Katie Elder was his biological mother.  Johnny Barrett soon moved away after his incident with Corey.  “It’s a convergence.” Daniel stated flatly. All of them here now together, as adults with full knowledge of past and present.  He looked over at Hades again. “Why? Why now?”

“The demon.” Calla answered in a shaking voice and, still holding Morpheus’ hand, she moved to be closer to Daniel.  “We must defeat him.”

Nicholas spoke for only the second time. “What is he?  My son, Wolfgar, what the hell is he?”  He watched his Mother shutter and reach for his Father’s hand but it slipped right through.  A long uncomfortable silence met his question.

“The Anti-Christ.”  It was David who spoke and although there was no humor in his voice Daniel let out a little laugh and so did Ares.

“For that I’d have to believe there was a Christ,” Ares retorted not wanting to look at the truth of the situation.

“There was, they wrote a big book about Him, haven’t you read it? I hear it’s very popular.” David countered.

Since a better phrasing seemed to elude him at the moment Hades agreed with David. Calla wouldn’t go that far insisting again that Wolfgar was a demon.  “I won’t let him touch your family,” she promised and still did not look him in the eye.

Nick just stood there dumbfounded trying to wrap his head around the idea that he might actually be the Father of the Anti-Christ.  “It was….it was just sex,” he mumbled to himself, “it didn’t mean anything.”  How could this have happened from that?  It didn’t make any sense to Nick.

Daniel heard the ugly words and wanted to put his hands over Calla’s ears. Fat lot of good it would have done, even if she was actually here and he could actually touch her, the words already reached her.  He watched her face fall and her shoulders slumped forward. “Calla?”

Still looking down at the floor she started to speak and by the time she finished she was looking her Son dead in the eye.  “Sex always means something.”  Not always something good, mind you, but something, she thought but did not say.  Now she was holding his gaze. “This is not your fault, Nicholas, you mustn’t think that it is.  You were only a tool and they used you to achieve their goal.”  She hoped that didn’t sting too much and by the way he winced but soon recovered she could see that her words sunk in quickly and as painlessly as possible.

Nick didn’t like the sound of that.  Didn’t much care for the idea of being somebody’s tool to be used for their amusement and then discarded.  The strangest thing about it though was that the feeling was somehow familiar to him. As though he’d been someone else’s tool for a while but maybe that time he was used, abused and put away dirty.  He wanted to say something to his Mother but the strange look on Morpheus’ face caught his attention and he followed the gaze of the King of Dreams to the huge hourglass sitting just to the right of the massive mirror in the ornate silver frame.  Watching the sands slip through unendingly in their silent cascade to the bottom of the glass Nicholas was never more acutely aware of the concept of Time or of the fact that Time was running out.

There was one more thing to discuss.  “The babies,” Calla said softly and turned to look at Daniel. “We must go slowly,” she advised cautiously.  “We must go to the SGC soon so Sam can finish her work but we must seek volunteers first.”

Daniel didn’t quite understand. “Volunteers? For what, Kitty?”

“Parents,” she said easily.  “The only way to be sure it really works is to do it,” Calla said with sorrow in her voice but it was a sorrow that was filled with hope.  Daniel grinned a little, his Kitty, no matter how much she tried she could never give up all hope of anything.  “We can’t let them all get pregnant, you understand?”

“A test run.” Daniel agreed.  Not a great prospect but definitely an intelligent course to take considering the possibly ramifications. Her body might have betrayed her but behind those hazy droopy eyes her brain was chugging away just fine.  It must be hell to be trapped like that, in prison not of concrete and bars but the cage of your own misfiring mind.  “Got anyone in mind?”

“There can be no Olympians,” she said, “we already know we’re fertile.  I was rather hoping that, well, that, someone might approach, well, Morgan and Duncan.” She said finally and looked at Daniel while he mulled it over. “I know what you’re thinking, that they’re different from each other, you’re right, so we’ll need a male and a female UP of the same race to also volunteer. Maybe two or three couples.”

“How do you suggest we recruit these volunteers?” Ares asked and wiggled his lower jaw as it had started to stiffen from David’s blows.

“A Town Meeting.”

Yep, that was his Kitty, a straight line Democratic Ruler to the end. They’d just call everyone together, lay on the table what everyone already knew and see who stepped up to the plate. Daniel nodded his agreement and watched as the others did the same. “Tonight good enough?”

“Yes, fine.” Calla said gently knowing that by tonight she wouldn’t be able to take part in the meeting.  Oh, if she insisted on it in her grumbly way someone would capitulate and wheel her down to the Meeting Hall but what would she do after that?  Point and grunt?  Hardly regal, now, was it?  “Once that’s done you and I will go to the SGC so Sam can finish.”

“I hate to interrupt, my Queen,” Morpheus began, “but the hour is growing very late.”  Soon the King of Dreams would fade away into the Scottish sun, his power waylaid until night rose again.

Calla didn’t argue though she wanted to, instead she laid a ghostly kiss on Daniel’s cheek, he could almost smell her, almost feel those soft sweet lips against the stubble on his cheek. Almost.  “I love you.” She whispered with a passion and desire her body would not allow her to play out.  More than anything she missed making love with him.  Morpheus squeezed her hand and she turned away toward the open archway which would take them through the parlor and to the front door of the Black Palace.  Absently, almost as though it were an afterthought she turned to the four of them. “The paintings,” she said gently, “the Tarot cards.”

“What?” Daniel stuttered but it was too late, Morpheus had taken her through the door and before they could even reach the parlor they faded from view.  The other three shrugged to say they didn’t know what she was talking about.

Especially Ares. “She has Tarot Cards?” He asked not remembering ever having seen such a deck in her hands before.

“Yeah,” Nick muttered, “but, the paintings, she had a series of them in the show.” He snickered and shook his head, “she said they looked like Tarot Cards.  One of them fetched a million gold.” He said in a reminding voice.

“Maybe we better have a look at them before they’re packed up and shipped off to their new owners.” David suggested.

“One more stop tonight, gentlemen?” Daniel asked and they agreed to go to the museum before returning to their respective beds for whatever remained of the night.

“I’ll catch up with you.” Ares said as they made their way to the door. “Just a moment, go on.”  They left and Ares turned back to Hades when they were out of the Black Palace.  He paced around the room for a few moments and ended up at the far end of the table at which Hades sat at the head.  Behind Ares were the large hourglass and the highly polished mirror with its silver frame simultaneously depicting everything and nothing. “You don’t really believe Wolfgar is the Anti-Christ, do you?”

“He is very powerful, Ares, you would be wise not to underestimate him especially not simply on the basis of his tender age.” Hades advised.

Are shook his head. “It’s a fable,” he insisted. “A myth. A legend.”

“What are we, my dear Nephew? If we are not Myth and Legend then what?” Hades countered.   “What wrong? Afraid you’re not strong enough to do battle with him?”

Ares’ dark eyes smoldered as he thought about it. The Anti-Christ? The Destructor of the world.  If the fable was true and was indeed coming to fruition now then there wasn’t anything any of them could do, was there?  No matter how hard they fought the Anti-Christ was the predetermined winner.  Ares didn’t believe in a no-win situation.  Deep in thought he turned around and huffed out a long sigh.  He looked up into the mirror and at first saw only himself reflected there.

“Poppa!”

Ares couldn’t be sure if he’d heard the gleeful voice in his head or his ears.  When he looked down in the mirror there was a little redheaded girl tugging on his pants leg.  Her luminous emerald eyes stared up at him as she smiled with joy and held up both arms for him to pick her up.  “Callestah,” he muttered softly and reached down for the girl with the happy smiling face and wide trusting eyes.  In the mirror he put his hands under her armpits and hoisted her high but in reality he held nothing but air and when he tried to pull her close that was all he got, air.  Arms outstretched as though she really were within his grasp he fixed his eyes on the spot directly in front of him and saw nothing but when he looked in the mirror he saw her back clear as day. Her little feet dangled in the air and the hem of the pelops swung back and forth.  “What kind of trick is this?” Ares growled but he didn’t let her go, even though she wasn’t really there.

Hades couldn’t see what Ares did, all he saw was Ares’ outstretched hands and the large man’s reflection in the mirror.  It didn’t take a genius to know what Ares was seeing. “It’s not a trick,” Hades said easily but keeping a good eye on his quick-to-anger Nephew.  “It’s a tool, a teaching device, it’s called the Mirror of Truth and it shows you what you want most, in your heart of hearts.”  In Ares’ heart of hearts what he really wanted was his little girl back.  He wanted to be a Father to her and watch her grow up but that chance was gone and it was never coming back. The good part about it was that Ares’ was to Calla just what he wanted to be; her Father.  In his heart of hearts, if he had to choose, he didn’t want to be her Husband or her Lover but her Father.  To Hades’ way of thinking this meant that at least one of them was in the proper place at the proper time.  Yes, Ares wanted to be a Father to her and he was but he wasn’t the kind of Father he wanted to be. He was overbearing to say the least and, at times, obnoxious and vile to say the worst. Ares had the chance to be that kind of Father to Athena and while Hades couldn’t say Ares had blown it there, surely he hadn’t, Ares did understand that Daniel was more Athena’s Father than he was even if it had been his sperm and Callestah’s egg which created his second Daughter.  No, there was no one and nothing more precious in the life of the God of War than his little Callestah.  Oh, how that would piss off Aphrodite if she were around to see it! That thought made a wicked little smile turn the corners of Hades’ mouth upward.

Ares couldn’t help himself, in his empty hands he turned the non-existent Callestah around so that she too faced the mirror and he could see her beaming back. She was laughing and giggling as she knocked her bare feet together in midair.  Although she wasn’t there, he pulled her in close and kept his eyes on the mirror.  When she reached him, she put her head back against his shoulder and kissed his cheek. “I love you, Poppa.” She said.  “Can we race now? Please, please, please, can we go racing?”

Ares’ eyes began to well with tears at her request. Always did she want to go racing when she was little. She wanted him to turn into the Wolf, put her on his back and go running through the forest at breakneck speed.  Oh, how she’d laugh and say ‘faster! faster!’ as they ran and she’d curl her little fingers into his thick fur to hold on tightly as they sped past the trees so fast they were nothing but a blur.  In the mirror he was hugging her tightly but in reality he was only hugging himself. “Anything you want, my little darling.” He promised the little girl in the mirror. “Anything at all.”

At the other end of the table Hades heard his big strong Nephew sobbing.  “Ares,” he said softly.

“Just one more minute,” Ares begged as he gazed into the mirror and swore he could feel the warmth and weight of her six-year-old body in his arms.  “Just one more.”

“She’s not there,” Hades reminded him in the same gentle voice.  Most people who gazed into the Mirror of Truth found it to be the most powerful experience of their passing.  Ares was one of the very few who could say he’d had a vision in it while he was still breathing.

No, she wasn’t here and she certainly wasn’t a little girl any longer even if she were.  Ares would do anything to turn back the clock but there was nothing he could do or give that would satisfy Fate and allow him to go back in time.  With the reality that she wasn’t there growing in his mind, Ares put her down and settled her on her bare feet once more. “I love you too.”  He whispered to the girl in the mirror and wiped his running eyes.

“Meet you outside!” She said cheerily and in the mirror she scampered off to somewhere Ares couldn’t see.

“That’s a horrible thing,” Ares said before he could get his bearings. “Get rid of it.”  His heart hurt, it ached and throbbed with an emptiness he’d never known and Ares gripped the corners of the table to keep his big body upright.  “Torture device.”  He swiped at his eyes again but couldn’t seem to stop the stream of tears running from them.  “What good is it if it shows you what can never be?”

Hades didn’t hesitate to answer.  “So in your next life you won’t make the same mistake.”

That made Ares snort a little laugh and he drew in a deep breath hoping the spontaneous display of his hidden emotions was over.  “Thank you for your,” he glanced back at the mirror but only over his shoulder and only out of the corner of his eye, “hospitality.” Ares said and returned his stare to Hades.

“They’re waiting for you.”

Gathering his strength Ares took in another huge breath and then exhaled it almost as though he were the Big Bad Wolf in the Three Little Pigs; I’ll huff and I’ll puff and I’ll bloooowwwww your house in!  Then he held his head up high though his heart still felt empty and he swore he could hear the winds whispering down its lonely corridors as he left Hades sitting at his table and made his way to the Upperworld.

End of Chapter Thirty-One of
Golden Years
by Moon Mistress
a/k/a Lisa Beth Darling
Go to
Chapter Thirty-Two