[Cnaeus Valerius]

“Do you think we lost them?” Lucio was breathing heavily beside me in the dark confines of the cave. A strange glowing mineral running through the walls of the cave provided just enough light for me to see him beside me. I peeked around the corner back toward the entrance of the cave and saw nothing.

“Yes.” I looked down at Lucio and grinned. A statue collided forcefully on the wall across from us and showered us with rock chips. A few crude spears with shafts as thick as one of my legs followed the statue and they clattered against the wall before falling to the ground. “No.”

“At least we know where all the broken statues on the lower levels came from.” Lucio winced as another statue crashed thunderously against the cavern wall.

“We better move deeper into the cave before they get bored of throwing things and decide to come in after us.” I unslung my shield and drew my sword before stepping cautiously through the archway carved into the stone. The sconces along the walls were empty, but the glowing veins in the rock provided enough dim bluish light for us to see. Large niches carved into the walls contained statues, some pristine and some broken and chipped, of men and women gazing pleasantly into the corridor.

“All these happy smiling people are beginning to get on my nerves.” Lucio whispered as he walked beside me. He paused beside the remnant of a warrior statue and nudged a piece of the face into better light with his toe. It was only half a face, but it still managed to eloquently convey a sense of horror. “This one wasn’t happy. I wonder why?”

“The style of armor is more recent than the others. Either the sculptor was trying something new or this one was a person who has been turned to stone.” I glanced back down the corridor at the other statues. If they were also people who had been turned to stone why did they have such happy expressions on their faces? The answer to the mystery nagged at the edge of thought.

I heard the grunting talk of the Cyclops following us and Lucio and I pressed on into the cave. We walked through an ornately carved arch and stepped into a lush garden. The glowing mineral was concentrated entirely in the ceiling of the vast chamber. The effect was like being outside on a hazy night with the full moon high on the dome of the sky. There were statues everywhere amid the flowing bushes and trees. Most wore the same joyful expression as the statues in the corridor, but many here also bore looks of terror. In each case the terrified statues were attired in more recent fashions than the joyful statues. Wide paved pathways led off invitingly into the thick vegetation.

“We are not alone here Lucio…” I grabbed Lucio’s arm and pulled him off the path and behind a merry trio of statues. We crouched down behind a dense rose bush with silver-white blossoms. Suddenly the solution to the mystery of the statues came to me.

“Gorgons…”

“I thought Medusa had been slain? Some big hero type cut off her head…” Lucio looked around nervously and then cast a quick wide-eyed glance at the statues next to us. He looked at me and nowhere else.

“She was, but she had two sisters.” I spoke in a quiet even tone, straining to hear the sounds of anyone moving along the path. The three Cyclops burst into the chamber, two armed only with clubs and the third armed with a crude spear. They paused, squinting in the ethereal light of the chamber as they searched for Lucio and I. I motioned with my thumb over my shoulder at the cluster of statues. “Once the Gorgon sisters were as beautiful as goddesses, but even then any mortal who looked at them was turned to stone. The happy statues must be from when the Gorgons were still beautiful.”

“Wasn’t Minerva the one who cursed them and made them hideously ugly?”

“Yes. Why?”

“If they know we are helping Minerva…”

One of the Cyclops shouted and threw his spear at something in the shadows. I heard the sound of a shield striking the spear aside. The three Cyclops roared and prepared to charge, but then they paused. In bluish light it took me a moment to realize they had been turned to stone. I turned away and stared at the ground.

“Don’t look up Lucio. No matter what you do, don’t look up.” I struggled to think of a plan that would allow us to escape. The Gorgons were famed for the prowess in battle. Perseus had slain Medusa while she slept. We had the one small mirror but I did not think it would be useful for dealing with two powerful warriors.

“What could have lured the Cyclops here I wonder?” A sultry female voice drifted across the still fragrant air of the garden. I heard sandals walking along the path near the entrance.

“You don’t suppose they chased Minerva’s little helpers into our garden, do you?” A second female voice asked in honeyed tones. I heard one of them turn on her heels as if surveying the garden.

“Oh! That would be marvelous! We haven’t had anyone to play hide and seek with in the garden in ages.” The sultry voice paused a moment and there was a sigh. “A pity we will only be able to play once…”

“If we are careful, sister dear, we can catch them before they see us.” The honeyed voice stopped to chuckle. “Then we can gouge their eyes out! The game can go on forever then.”

Both Gorgons laughed gaily and the lights in the chamber suddenly went out.

“We can’t have you two cheating," the sultry voice drifted through the darkness as if the sound itself were searching for us, "and taking a peek at us to end the game early. You may as well get used to the dark now...”

[Cnaeus Valerius]

“Cnaeus…what do we do?” Lucio’s voice plead quietly beside me in the darkness. My mind raced through possibilities, but I could think of nothing that would fool two Gorgons. Perhaps if we had an army of immortals on our side…

“Lucio, stay close to me. We need to find the cavern wall.” I grabbed Lucio’s arm and felt him trembling. I tightened my grip reassuringly as the Gorgons bantered back and forth near the exit. “Strength and honor Lucio. That is what will carry us to victory. Trust me.”

I heard Lucio take a deep breath and exhale slowly and his trembling stopped. We crawled slowly away from the rose bush in the direction of the nearest wall. The armor Hades provided us was remarkably quiet but not completely silent.

“Our prey is moving sister!”

“Time for the game to begin. I hope they will be entertaining.”

In the darkness my fingertips brushed against the smooth rock wall. I heard the Gorgon’s sandals clicking slowly along the gravel path. They were heading toward us, but were not in a hurry about it. Their overconfidence should give us enough time.

“Lucio, take the black hole out of the bag.”

“They aren’t going to fall for it Cnaeus…” Lucio pressed the black hole into my hand and gasped. “Or do you plan on having the two of us jump into the hole? It might be better than having our eyes put out and stumbling around this garden for eternity…”

“It won’t come to that. Fix one end of the hole against the wall as close to the ground as you can while I attach the high end.” We stuck the hole against the wall and then I directed Lucio to grab the opposite end and move with me as I stretched the opening wider. “Be careful not to fall in.”

“Now what?” Lucio’s voice was heavy with doubt, but there was a trace of hopeful curiosity.

“Find the torch…”

“The torch?! Are you mad?”

“The torch!” I reached out, found the open bag, and grabbed the torch. I threw it toward the sound of the Gorgon’s sandals before it could light itself and then spun Lucio around to face the wall. The torch ignited just as it hit the ground and before I averted my eyes I saw the outline of two female figures just outside the radius of the torchlight. One of the sisters screamed angrily and I pushed Lucio closer to the ground. “Get down. It should be over one way or the other soon enough…”

From within the hole I heard the sound of a hoarse voice barking commands. As the clatter of armor drew closer a circular shield landed on top of the torch and cut us off from its light. The dead warriors were not deterred and continued their charge. They streamed past us out the black hole and into the garden. I heard the crash of shields against armor as the skeletons collided with the Gorgons. The Gorgons screamed in outrage as the skeletons pressed in on them. The blue light returned in sudden brilliance as the last of the skeletons charged past Lucio and I. The skeletons, being dead and having no eyes, were immune to the sight of the Gorgons.

“This is the part of the plan where we grab the black hole and get ourselves out of here.”

“Oh, I like this part of the plan!” Lucio grinned broadly up at me as we made a quick exit from the garden and the battle raging within it.

[Scarlett O'Hara]

As the garden receded so did the sounds of the battle. Away from the garden, the chilly mists were soothing. The small patches of mist seem to swirl and glitter around them before a stronger breeze would send it away. For brief moments, before another mist began to cling to them, Cnaeus and Lucio were able to look about them. The mists ebbed and flowed, however, never giving them a panoramic view to access their location and direction.

"Time for rest." Cnaeus announced suddenly. "Until we can see where we are going...." he shrugged as if the rest of the statement was unnecessary.

Lucio stared at him briefly and shrugged as well. "Rest?! You're the centurion. You say rest, we rest." Lucio quickly found a soft moss covered area and collapsed. He placed their bag as if both could use it as a pillow. He quickly stretched and then turn onto his side facing away from Valerius. Soon, he felt the Roman stretching out beside him.

Both thought the other slept and thus forced themselves to stay awake and alert. With the quiet mists suppressing all sounds around them, they could hear their own hearts beating. "I don't understand." Lucio whispered.

"What don't you understand?" Cnaeus whispered back, making Lucio jump. The young man sat straight up and glared at his reclining partner.

Then lying back on his side, staring at the Roman, Lucio whispered "I don't understand anything that has happened to us. Vesta and Minerva task us to find the Vestals yet we end up in Hades Castle and Realm. Hades tells us he needs our help as well, then sends us through the gauntlet which nearly killed us at every turn. Each of the goddesses we've met, have promised us that we'll be given what we need. They keep telling us we'll understand." Lucio sighed and then added more forceably "But I don't understand! I think.....well.....I think this is it for us."

Cnaeus looked at his friend, seeing the tears welling up in the blue eyes, and once again wondered why the goddesses had matched them. Frustrated, Cnaeus snapped "What do you mean this is it for us?!"

Lucio sniffed "I think we're dead and this is our eternity. I had hoped for the Elysian Fields. At least there, I would be happy with my memories of my mother and sisters."

Cnaeus felt almost protective of his young aide, but also annoyed that he was once again questioning the wisdom of the goddesses. "Please try to have faith in Vesta and Minerva, my friend. There are things I don't understand as well, but we've managed to come through this with our wits and with each other's help." He reached out and patted Lucio's small arm.

"If this is our eternity, Centurion Cnaeus Valerius, there is something you really must know!" Lucio's voice was as soft as the mists swirling around them. "I am......"

"Mother, what is love?" The question had been posed by a young male voice from a nearby mist.

Both Cnaeus and Lucio jumped from their moss bed, weapons ready. But the voices died away when the mist swirl away. "Who or what?" Lucio's eyes darted to Cnaeus. He shrugged and kept his sword poised.

Another mist swirled and a beautiful woman walked nearby, the young man next to her as they hurried towards an unknown destination. "Mother, what is love?" he repeated.

"Quiet, son." And the mist enveloped them again. Both Cnaeus and Lucio stayed ready but the mists didn't show them the two again.

"Enough rest, Lucio. Let's get moving." Cnaeus had recognized Aphrodite and her son Eros, and knew the horror which pursued them. He and Lucio didn't need to be anywhere near those two!

"But to where?" Lucio asked as he pulled their magic bag tighter and threw it over his shoulder.

Cnaeus grabbed the bag and threw it over his shoulder instead. "Just stay close, Lucio. And if you see that woman and her boy again, don't draw their attention."

"Why not?"

"Trust me on this, Lucio!" Cnaeus sighed in frustration. "Why must you question everything I tell you?"

"I forgot, MiLord. I am only the servant!" Lucio seemed saddened but Cnaeus didn't have time to worry about his hurt feelings at the moment. The mists were thickening around them again.

[Cnaeus Valerius]

Lucio and I stood near the top of the ridge at the end of the path. All of the Hades’s realm lay unnoticed behind us. It was the scene before us that held our attention however.

Two massive columns rose skyward on either side of a broad corridor the bored into the rock. Spirals broad enough for Lucio and I to walk on traced their way up the columns. The sides of the columns were decorated with life-sized carvings of men and gods engaged in battle against other men and their gods. At first glance the pillars looked to be identical, but a closer study revealed each portrayed the victory of a different side. Either the columns showed to separate wars or one war that ended in a draw.

At the base of one of the columns a small campfire glowed with pure white flame. A man sat behind the flames with his back against the column. He wore a boar’s tusk helmet with leather cheekguards decorated with brass stags in mid-leap. His cloak was woven in the bright colors and tribal patterns that were once common in Thracia while his tunic was of unbleached wool. The man seemed to have no weapons either on his person or near him on the ground as he sat cross-legged in front of the fire. We called out a greeting to him but received no response. Once we moved closer I realized the man was dead; his mummified body left for some unknown reason to watch the ghostly flames. A strong breeze forced its way past us causing the edges of the brightly colored cloak to flutter.

We edged our way by the mummy and into the corridor beyond him. Just as I was about to comment on regretting our loss of the magic torch, Lucio pulled a second torch from the bag. The torch burned with the same eerie flame as the fire the dead man watched outside. It had the feeling of a bad omen.

"At least he doesn’t have any friends waiting inside for us." Lucio held the torch high and squinted down the corridor. The light almost seemed to have difficulty penetrating the empty gloom. An angry hiss echoed down the corridor and Lucio lowered the torch.

"It would seem, however, that something is waiting for us down there." I sighed and drew my sword. "Hades said it would be easy for us to deal with though."

"He said it would be easy for us to deal with in comparison to dealing with an eternity of torment on the special island he would send our spirits to if we fail." Lucio whispered beside me. I glanced over at him and frowned.

"Don’t be so gloomy. Just focus on the part about it being easy. You’ll feel better."

Lucio replied with a short, disdainful laugh and we pressed forward into the passage. It seemed impossibly long, but barely an hour had passed when we found ourselves standing before the large stone arch that marked the end of the passage.

Beyond the archway was a large cavern containing a lake of clear still water. There was a soft pearly light coming from the ceiling and we could see that cavern floor was littered with boulders of various sizes. About fifty feet into the cavern a large lizard-like body lay partially hidden behind one of the boulders. The slow even breathing of the creature caused it scales to glint deep metallic blues and purples in the soft light of the cavern. A single reptilian head on a long neck curled around the boulder. The creature’s eyes were closed in apparent sleep but when a giant rat scurried past it the eyes snapped open and the creature grabbed itself a quick meal.

“Only a big lizard? We can handle a big lizard…” Lucio stepped into the cavern as he drew one of his knives. The head turned toward us and hissed menacingly. Then a second head appeared from behind the boulder and a third and a fourth. When the beast lumbered fully into our view it was clear that it had a total of seven heads.

[Scarlett O'Hara]

"Seven heads!?!" Lucio groaned. "Seven heads, Cnaeus!"

"I can count." The Roman tilted his head back towards the passageway from where they had just entered. But Lucio didn't need any further encouragement. Moving slowly so as not to startle the beast into hurried movement, Lucio stepped back, one measured step at a time, his hands holding his knives, as new ones materialized in the magic scabbards.

As the two got closer together, Lucio glared at Cnaeus and said "We should have taken the mummy as a clue, don't you think?"

"A clue as to what?" Cnaeus breathed slightly.

"As a clue not to enter!" Lucio snapped too loudly. The 7-headed beast hissed louder and the heads began to weave with its body's movement, more purposefully it seemed. "I think we should go back towards the river Styx and face the 3-headed dog! It doesn't look so tough now. Three heads we can handle, but not seven!!!!"

"Lucio!" Cnaeus snarled.

"What?"

"Shut up. Just for once...SHUT UP!" He dared one quick glance at Lucio to emphasize his point. The heel of his boot settled against a loose rock, at an angle, sending him off center with his sword poised as it was. Lucio saw Cnaeus start to fall and reached for him. The centurion had already begun to shift and quickly balanced himself, his eyes now back on the beast. But Lucio was now off center, and stumbled over a large stone between them. Unable to right himself, he fell hard against Cnaeus's chest, sending them both toppling backward.

When the dust settled, Cnaeus was lying on his back, with Lucio lying on top of him. The luck of the goddesses had stayed with them, since his sword had stuck through the loose sleeve of Lucio's tunic and not through any of the young man's body parts.

A large drop of sticky moisture slapped onto Lucio's neck. Looking down in the Roman's eyes, Lucio swallowed hard and said weakly "That's rain I hope!"

"Guess again." Cnaeus' eyes were focused to the side behind Lucio's head. A quick upward thrust of his pelvis sent Lucio rolling off him, just in time for him to lunge upward with his sword. A pained scream was heard from the beast.

Lucio jumped up and quickly began snapping knife after knife into the various heads and necks of the beast as Cnaeus battled with his sword. It seemed that Minerva's gift of magic scabbards had come in handily.

[Scarlett O'Hara]

Between the rapid slices made by The Roman’s skilled blade, and the multitude of Lucio’s knives lancing necks and eyes, the Hydra of Seven Heads began to weave unsteadily backwards. Still hissing meanacingly, it tried to lumber back to its sleeping spot. Blood ran down its scales and puddled along the narrow walkway.

“I think we humbled it!” Lucio said excitedly and smiled at Cnaeus.

But he was still holding his sword at the ready. “No. It will rest and come at us even harder.” As the centurion answered, the smile quickly faded from Lucio. “Let’s go back the way we came.” Lucio didn’t wait for further instructions and turned to run back down the passage, with Cnaeus right behind. They both slid to a halt. The passage way had vanished. Both of them began anxiously searching the stone wall for the some kind of trickery. But the wall was solid. Another round of hissing from behind them alerted them to the next round of fighting.

Lucio saw the Roman’s eyes narrow as he focused on a far point of the cavern. “Do you see it, Lucio?” he asked as he prepared to strike more blows at the encroaching Hydra.

“I don’t see anything but the beast!” Lucio sounded confused by the question.

“Far wall, behind the largest of the boulders. There’s some kind of beam that has collapsed over the rock.” he rushed the explanation. “I can see the corner of a passageway right behind the boulder.” Cnaeus added. The beast attacked and the two began the tiring battle again. Cnaeus worked the two of them around slowly as they fought the beast to another stalemate. Once again, bleeding heavily, the Hydra retreated to its corner. Lucio’s eyes widened as he stopped in mid step to watch the beast's injuries healing themselves along its hide. Cnaeus snatched a corner of Lucio’s tunic and said “Come on. I have a plan.”

“Oh great. Four of my favorite Cnaeus words! I have a plan.” Lucio muttered sarcastically, almost too tired to walk. Carefully, they maunevered around the narrow walkway by the still lake. The largest of the boulders blocked not only the passageway but the walkway approaching it. Together they searched along the boulder for foot and hand holds but the boulder was smooth like it had been polished. “It’s as smooth as ice!” Lucio swore a string of curse words that Cnaeus had not heard since his last battle in Gaul. The words made him laugh coming from such a petite man like Lucio.

“I have another plan!” the Roman said and looked sideways at Lucio. Lucio started to mutter but saw the look and quickly swallowed whatever he was about to say. “Good! Now listen to me.”

“It seems I don’t have a choice. Either listen to another brilliant Centurion plan or be shredded by the....” Lucio began rapidly.

“Listen to me! We don’t have much time.” Cnaeus quickly explained his plan while he dug into the magic bag, pulling the whip back out. He stepped back and flicked the whip up. It missed its target and fell back. A second and a third attempt failed. On the fourth try, the whip touched the fallen beam, wrapped around it, and fell back down to Cnaeus‘ grip.

“I don’t believe it!” Lucio said softly as he stared up. Valerius grabbed him and began tying one end of the whip around his small waist. With a quick, strong jerk, the Roman wrenched Lucio up. With an overly feminine scream, Lucio went flying upward, his body crashing against the ceiling. “I don’t like this plan, Cnaeus!” he painfully groaned through clenched teeth as he suddenly plummeted back towards the floor.

With some choice curse words himself, the Roman reached out and yanked hard on the end of the whip he held. Lucio’s rapid fall slowed and his body swung perilously out over the lake water. As he swung back, one leg dragged through the water. “Don‘t move!” the Roman ordered as he slowly and carefully pulled the whip, trying to hoist the young man upward. It was important not to stir up the lake water.

Lucio rolled his eyes and rubbed his bruised head. “I don’t think I’ll be moving anytime soon. Master.” But the still lake water had began to churn slightly. Cnaeus frantically began to pull on the whip and watched in horror as the churning water turned into a roaring brine. Lucio looked down as he felt himself being hoisted back up. But searing bites made him yell out in pain. As his leg pulled out of the water, they both saw nearly a dozen of the Hydra’s spawn had bitten into his lower leg. With renewed strength, Cnaeus pulled. Lucio’s body swung over the narrow walkway. Grabbing, he pulled the young man down onto the stone path.

Lucio’s painful screams did not cover up the sound of the renewed hissing of the Hydra. Valerius pulled one of Lucio’s knives and as he uttered an apology for the horrific pain, he cut out the small sharp mouths of the baby hydra, leaving small indentations around Lucio’s ankle and lower leg. He tossed the bleeding slug-like things to the far side of the lake, where they splattered onto the walkway behind the beast. The Hydra’s massive body tried to turn, and finally managed to reached out for its newest meal. She hungrily devoured the remains of her own.

While the Hydra was distracted with eating, Cnaeus wrenched the whip up again, but with more precise measurement this time. Lucio swung up and over the large boulder. Together, they had managed to land Lucio on top of the large boulder.

“Is it a passage?” Cnaeus yelled up. He saw Lucio, with whip still tied around his waist, wedge his body against the wall, looking down behind the tightly packed boulder.

“I think there is.” came the yelled response from Lucio.

“Leverage out and yank on the....” the Roman began the plan reminders.

“I understand the principles behind a hoist, Master!” Lucio muttered something under his breath. Valerius grabbed the magic bag and with all his strength, threw it up and over the rock, where it landed at Lucio’s feet. With sword back in its scabbard, Cnaeus tied his whip end around his waist. His eyes darted back and forth between Lucio hobbling on the boulder, and the renewed Hydra lumbering towards him.

“Now would be good, Lucio!” the Roman yelled up. He felt only a slight tug as he noticed the eyes of the approaching beast. As the Hydra hissed and spit and moved heavily toward him, Cnaeus felt a more promising yank, then another. Another idea hit him and he yelled it up to Lucio.

“I wish he’d make up his mind.” Lucio said under his breath, and lowered the Centurion back the few inches to the cavern floor. Cnaeus pulled the whip out as far as he dare, keeping his eyes on the Hydra. He took a running start at the boulder and yelled “PULL!” On the boulder, Lucio had angled back as close to the proper angle as he could guess. Jerking hard on the whip, Lucio felt the weight of the Roman begin to lift. Suddenly, the Roman’s feet dug at the slick rock as Lucio pulled. Slowly they were able to pull him to the top of the boulder. They looked down on the Hydra. Her longet neck could reach only half a way up the boulder.

They unfastened themselves from the whip and headed to the passageway behind the rock. Lucio and Cnaeus together, laid on the boulder and using the strength of their legs, they pushed repeatedly, managing to move the slick boulder a few inches. The Centurion locked his legs, using his strength to keep the boulder from slipping back towards the wall. Lucio limped to look down into the small squeeze they had formed between the rock and wall. Valerius saw his young aide’s face draw into a frown of disappointment. “It’s not a passageway, Cnaeus. It is just a large fault in the stone wall. No passage.”

With massive disappointment pounding in his chest and leg muscles, Cnaeus Valerius rolled away and felt the rock move slightly and come to a rest back against the wall. But the large boulder provided them a corner haven away from the Hydra for a short while.

Lucio collapsed into a heap next to him. He saw the clammy sweat in large beads on Lucio’s face. Reaching down, he ripped Lucio’s wool leg covering away from the spawn bites. He grimaced at the sight. Cnaeus had heard that bites of the spawn were very potent and had been used as poisons on arrow and spear tips against the enemies of Rome. He didn’t want to know how the army had harvested the poison from the spawn.

This was a good example as to why. In just the short while since the spawn had bitten into Lucio, the bites had festered, and were covered in puss. The area around each bite was swollen and angry red.

He swallowed hard and put a calm exterior on his face for Lucio’s benefit. Reaching into the magic bag, Cnaeus withdrew the torch, which lit immediately as it exited the bag. Calmly he took one of Lucio’s knives and held the tip into the flame until it glowed red hot. Without warning, he plunged it into the first of the bites. Lucio screamed, and passed out from the searing pain. Valerius held the tip inside each bite, boiling away the poison. He counted 11 in all. Luckily for Lucio, he had only felt the first one.