THE LAST APPRENTICE

...I could never forget that lady of the forest. She found me on the darkest of all my journeys and shed light with only a smile. I no longer bittered for such was not possible in the shadow of Maia....

The evening was young and the sky had just begun to dim by the time Odius and Maia approached the cave of dragons. They reached the edge of the evergreen forest where foliage gave way to the mountain's rocky upper slopes. Although they had already passed the pines on the lower slopes the greater part of Mount Atlas still towered high overhead.
Odius clearly understood why climbing the upper slope was out of the question. The ice Maia spoke of was more treacherous than he imagined. Most of it hung in huge multi-ton icicles and all of it seemed unstable as it constantly creaked and groaned under the strain of its own weight. Every so often one of the mammoth icicles broke off and rumbled down near vertical slopes, sometimes with devastating effects. Evidence of this was apparent by several large pines which had been sheered off at the base by huge chunks of falling ice.
Odius was impressed with the system of clouds and ice that protected the mountain. Permanent clouds at the top of the mountain not only hid its peak, but also churned out ice. Fresh ice at the top of the mountain gradually pushed older ice down the slope, somewhat like a glacier. The ice worked its way down the upper slopes until it reached warmer elevations where it broke off. This system constantly replaced ice and prevented any long-term project for climbing the mountain, such as carving steps in the ice or driving supports for platforms.
"Stop," Maia whispered.
Odius pulled on the reigns, then looked around cautiously.
"How far?" he whispered.
"See those thorns among the rocks?" She pointed to a place about fifty yards up the slope.
"Yes." They continued to whisper.
"The cave is hidden behind those thorns."
"We should dismount here."
Odius helped Maia off the horse, then dismounted. He kept his attention on the thorns as he untied his provisions. He watched carefully but saw no sign of dragons.
"Are there any forks in the cave?" he whispered.
"No, just one passage all the way back you can't miss it! I'll wait here and mind the horse."
"Maia," Odius stopped what he was doing so he could give her his full attention. "I expect to return promptly, perhaps a day or two. If I fail to return by nightfall after the third day, then, my path led to demise. Do not wait for me beyond the third day."
"I'll wait for you, Odius. I'll wait."
"I must be going. Leave after the third day and keep the horse."
"Be careful, Odius."
Odius unfastened his sword and sheath. He seemed somewhat hesitant as he handed it to Maia.
"I should leave this here. You managed to pass the dragons unarmed, yet men with swords have died there. Perhaps a sword would invite trouble. Besides, I'm not a warrior."
Maia accepted the sword very diligently, like it was something reverent. She never handled a weapon before. She cradled it in her hands like a glass scepter and looked at it with a certain amount of awe. "You might need this!"
"Maybe you will," Odius said with a smile. "Treat it with care, it belonged to my father, and my father's father."
Odius slung his bundle over his shoulder, then picked up a torch, which he had prepared that morning.
"I should delay no longer. Will you be alright here?"
Maia nodded with painfully slow movements. She was not experienced with matters of the heart and, consequently, never had to endure a separation. She took a moment to get a grip on her feelings then managed a raspy, broken whisper. "Please come back to me."
"Good bye Maia."
"Bye," she was near tears.
Odius could tell she was hurt inside it was a feeling they both shared. He wanted to tell her how strongly he felt about her, but the separation would be difficult enough. He did not want to draw it out with words. After a brief pause Odius simply turned and started for the cave.
"Odius!"
Odius stopped and glanced back at Maia. She looked like she wanted to say something but was lost for the words.
"I Um..." She let out a heavy sigh, "May the gods watch over you."
Odius smiled at the irony of her parting words his intent was to summon a god.
"Thank you Maia." He said with a smile, "May they watch over you as well." He was reluctant to leave but duty forced him to turn his attention to the rocky grade.
Odius felt uneasy about leaving Maia. He felt like he had known her all his life, yet they had only been acquainted for the short span of a day. The scrolls at Atlanta spoke of such things; where two people felt they have known each other long before they met. According to the scrolls, this feeling was caused by a joining or bonding between something much deeper than the inner self. The scrolls said this kind of bonding was very rare and should be cherished above all else.
Odius knew the circumstances surrounding their lives would not allow their relationship to grow. Maia insisted on her solitude, she made that fact clear more than once. Odius had his own responsibilities as well as a commitment to the Great Marce. At best they could share only one more day together, then savor the memory as life forged on.
Maia also had problems with their separation. She watched Odius walk up the grade and felt a pain with each and every step he took. She firmly believed demons lived on top of the mountain, and if the dragons did not kill him then the demons surely would. She clutched his sword more tightly and held it across her chest like a rag doll. If Odius did not return, his sword would be her only memorabilia of him.

Odius cautiously approached the vast growth of thorns at the cave's entrance. At first glance, the brush seemed as impenetrable as a stone wall with its stout stalks tangled and twisted into a dense mass. Sharp, needle-like thorns covered the stalks to protect the brush against intruders. Most of the stalks were covered with coarse bark as a testimony to the its age and endurance.
As Odius drew closer he noticed a low passageway near the back edge of the brush. The passageway was like a tunnel that snaked its way through the thorns and, presumably, to the cave's entrance. It was just big enough for a man to crawl through without becoming entangled in the thorns. Odius slowly dropped to his hands and knees then peered down the path through the brush. He saw nothing other than thorns. Odius also listened for any activity. There was no sound of movement or stirring. After a brief pause Odius started to crawl through the thorns with slow, diligent movements.
He took his time, partly because he was nervous, but mostly to avoid becoming entangled in the thorns. As he made his way through the twisted passage he came across his first evidence of dragons. Huge lizard tracks, larger than the size of a man's hand, were imprinted in the dirt along the pathway. He also noticed pieces of shed skin tangled here and there among the thorns. He stopped briefly to examine one of the sheddings. It looked just like the sheddings of a lizard only much larger. Odius assumed the dragons probably shed their skin just like a lizard.
Odius managed to crawl through the thorns without getting so much as a scratch. He made his way to the back of the thick growth where he found the entrance to the cave of dragons. The entrance was a dark opening in the rocks not more than four or five feet across and five or six feet high. A foul smell came from the cave, like that of rotting flesh but not as strong. He carefully looked into the dark abyss but saw nothing.
Odius waited at the entrance as he listened for any movement. There was something unnerving about this particular hole in the ground. He began to wonder what possessed Maia to venture past this point, much less walk all the way back. He continued to listen as he struck a flint to his torch.
The flame on his torch began to grow and flicker. Odius held the torch inside the opening to avoid setting the thorns on fire. He tried to get a good look at the interior of the cave but its darkness prevailed. Once again he wondered what kind of conviction drove Maia past the entrance.
Odius carefully poked his head in the cave of dragons. He held onto the side of the cave as he slowly searched for a foothold in the darkness. His foot found a large rock just beyond the opening. He stepped in and waited for his eyes to adjust to darkness.
Hardly any time passed before Odius' eyes became accustomed to the dark. He was surprised to find that the cave was several times wider and taller than the opening led him to believe. The entrance seemed small because it was partially obstructed by a large pile of rocks. The rocks were noticeably different than the native stone and neatly piled as if to fortify the cave against intruders. As Odius climbed down the rocks he noticed that they were neatly and deliberately interlocked like crude stonework. He refused to believe it was the work of dragons. He wondered who placed the rocks and why.
The ceiling and walls of the cave were coarse grey rock with many irregularities. In some places the rock bulged outward to cast shadows where the imagination could paint demons or serpents. In other places the rock formed pockets, which also harbored darkness and monsters of the imagination.
Odius noticed one such pocket near the ceiling where a small pair of eyes mirrored light from his torch. The eyes watched intently from its dark perch, which hid every detail of the creature's identity. Odius had no idea what kind of creature lurked in that black cubby-hole and decided it might be best not to ponder any possibilities. He swallowed hard then, one foot at a time, slowly started down the cave.
The cave's dark grey walls were no help in reflecting faint light cast by the torch. Even after his eyes were fully acclimated to the dark he could see no more than ten or twelve feet in front of him. With such short visibility he could wander dangerously close to a dragon without seeing it. The thought sent a tingle down his back. After taking several steps, Odius noticed the floor of the cave was covered with a thick layer of fine, powdery dirt. The dirt was so fine that even the lightest footfall raised a small cloud of dust. He stopped momentarily to look back at the entrance. He saw how his painfully cautious footsteps still managed to raise a thin cloud of dust. The dust rose about knee high and hung motionless in the cave's stagnant air. Obviously nothing had passed this way in quite some time. He took note of the dust and continued his journey down the cave. He began to plan a strategy during those first few steps. If he walked fast, he would make more noise, raise more dust, and probably give the dragons plenty of warning that he was coming. He wanted to proceed slowly and cautiously, but that would prolong his journey. The cave was about two and a quarter miles long according to Maia. A slow pace would mean five or six hours of wandering through this strange realm.
His thoughts were distracted when something scampered across the floor of the cave. It moved too quickly to identify but seemed to be about the size of a small mouse. All he really saw of it was a small trail of dust darting along behind it. Odius watched the tiny dust trail weave its way into darkness beyond the reach of his torch.
The tiny dust trail lingered in the stagnant air and refused to settle. The highly volatile dust almost seemed to hang in the air forever. He wondered how much dust a dragon might raise as it thundered down the cave and how long it might take that dust to settle. Apparently no dragons have passed through here in quite some time. That thought caused him to wonder about the dragon's daily routine.
If a dragon was basically nothing more than a huge lizard, then they should be cold-blooded like a lizard. If so, then they would need to bask in the sunlight daily and return to the warmth of the rocks by night. It was early evening and nothing passed by here in quite some time. Perhaps the dragons had not yet returned for the night. If that was the case, then they should be coming back soon because the sun was setting and a chill would soon fill the air. Odius decided to pick up his pace and get through the cave before the dragons returned.
Odius found the strange dust to be an increasing problem. His heightened pace churned a thick cloud of dust from floor to ceiling. He looked back through the dust and could hardly see more than five or six feet. The bad visibility gave him cause for concern. Should the dragons return he would not be able to see them until they were within five or six feet of him. The prospect of a dragon sneaking up behind him was a thought he had to push from his mind. He just had to concentrate on getting to the stairway at the end of the cave.

Outside the cave of dragons, Maia had just settled down for the night. She knew it would be at least a full day or two before she saw Odius again and decided to make her stay as comfortable as possible. She had tied a vine between two trees then draped a blanket over it to make a crude shelter. The corners of the blanket were held down with heavy rocks. The shelter was just big enough to accommodate her simple bed, which was nothing more than a blanket folded in half and laid over a foundation of dried grasses. She knew her shelter would not hold up to a storm, but it was at least enough to fend the morning dew.
Daylight had already given way to twilight and Maia huddled near a fire to ward off the mild evening chill. Her eyes gazed into the soft flickering flames while her mind painted gallant pictures of Odius. She smiled as she imagined what life might be like if she could share it with Odius. Then, when her attention was distracted by stirring leaves, she recalled the reality of her nemesis and her fragile smile faded. She quickly pushed those distasteful thoughts from her mind and returned her attention to the flames and her fairy-tale fantasies of Odius.
From time to time she found herself in worry that Odius might not survive. As far as she knew Odius had dragons and demons to conquer before he could return to her side. Even if he did return, she could only risk one more day with him. She knew this rewarding new friendship was as fleeting as a bubble on a pond. She tried her best to just savor the happiness Odius brought and ignore any distressing thoughts.
Her attention was again drawn from the fire when the horse let out a restless snort. She realized she had been staring into the fire for quite a while and decided to stretch her muscles. She stood up then rubbed her eyes and yawned. The dim evening light had changed to darkness but she knew it would be quite some time before she could sleep.
Maia picked up the sword, which rested neatly along her place at the fire. She examined the sword and sheath carefully, turning it over and over to admire the weapon's detail. Then, for the first time, she slowly pulled the blade from its sheath. Her eyes sparkled as she watched the flame's reflection dance off the finely polished blade.
Maia never held a sword before. She wondered what it must be like to live the life of a great warrior. Unable to resist, she grabbed the handle with both hands then wielded the sword from side to side several times like an angry warrior in battle. After slicing her imaginary foe to virtual ribbons she returned the sword to a forward position, then proudly glanced about like a triumphant gladiator at the peak of victory. The only spectator in her arena was the horse.
"Is a fine blade!" she said to the horse. Maia often spoke to animals in the forest as if they were people. It was simply a way to cope with her long years of solitude. To her, the horse was no different than any forest creature.
She walked over to the horse and presented the sword.
"Only the most gallant of men could carry a blade so fine as this!"
Actually, that particular sword was below average for weapons of the time. It was shorter than most and considerably light. It was a simple sword, nothing more than a brass handle with a steel blade. Maia had nothing to compare it against she could only judge the sword by the valor of the man who carried it.
"I wish I were skilled with such a sword."
Again Maia wielded the sword from side to side. The horse thought she was a little too close for comfort and shied away with several skittish steps. After six or seven ferocious swings the sword made an audible swish as it sliced through the air. A bright gleaming smile came to her face.
"Hear it cut the air?" she said to the horse. "If it can cut air, then it can cut smoke! Maybe it can cut the vermin that taints my door!"
She swung the sword violently from side to side, advancing a half step or so on each swing.
"Back! Back I say!"
She brought the sword to a forward position.
"Advance an inch and I'll sever thee! Go back to your abyss unworthy demon! Back!"
She spent several minutes gazing at the sword's imposing blade while her mind's eye painted a fantasy of justice. Finally, she walked back to the fire then returned the sword to its sheath.
If only I were skilled with such a blade, she thought.
She examined the sheath and found a small clip that was used to catch the belt of a robe. The sheath was worn under a belt and the clip hooked over the belt to keep the sheath in place. Maia held the sheath at her side, as if she were wearing it. She did not have a belt, but the thought to make one had occurred to her.
After several minutes of thinking, an idea came to her. She could wear the sword on her back! She slid the sheath down her back and under the strap of her top. She tried drawing the sword and realized some adjustments were necessary. She found that if she wore the sword on the left side of her back, she could reach over her head with her right arm and grab the handle somewhere near her left shoulder blade.
She practiced drawing and returning the sword for five or ten minutes. She could draw the sword easy enough with one hand but both hands were needed to return it. She had to use her left hand to guide the tip of the sword into the sheath. She thought that if she had a sword of her own she would make a harness to bring the sword's handle just above the shoulder.
The night chill became more pronounced and Maia returned her attention to the fire. She crouched near the fire with the sword across her back. Maia reached out to warm her hands then smiled as she thought of her valiant Odius and the happiness he had shown her. She was not sure if she would ever see him again. Even if he survived the mountain their time together would still be fleeting. She kept reliving details of the previous day and night over and over. She wanted to embed them deep in her memory before those fleeting moments with Odius passed forever into eternity.

Odius had wandered deep into the cave of dragons. It had been some time since he lost sight of the entrance. The cave seemed to get more eerie with each step he took. He could not shake the persistent feelings of isolation and fear. Once again, he wondered about Maia.
Why did she venture so deep in this hole, he thought. Does her thirst for adventure make her such a stranger to fear?
He stopped from time to time to listen for any movement. He could not stop very long before he had to press on to keep ahead of the dust. The dust not only reduced his visibility, but also irritated his eyes, nose, and throat.
Odius walked just over a mile when he came across some of the bones Maia mentioned. They appeared to be bones from a large bear. The bones were scattered about in small piles, as if each dragon tore a chunk from the carcass then dragged it off to eat in private. He stopped briefly to examine the bones but the constant advance of his dust trail soon forced him to move on.
As Odius walked away from the bones, he began to wonder. Most reptiles swallow their food whole, bones and all. The piles of bones left by the dragons were more typical of wolves or coyotes, where each hunter carried off its prize to a neutral corner and stripped the meat from the bones. What he saw was not a typical eating pattern for lizards. If their eating habits were drastically different from lizards, then perhaps the dragons themselves were drastically different from lizards. Perhaps they were not even cold blooded.
This thought bothered Odius. His brilliant deduction that the dragons were out was based on an assumption that, like lizards, the dragons were cold blooded. If the dragons were cold blooded then they must be gone because they had to leave during the day to bask in the sun and nothing had returned to disturb the dust in quite some time. However, if they were warm- blooded then they could have stayed in their den all day that would also explain the settled dust.
The dust itself was confusing to Odius. Most caves were formed by erosion from underground streams. Flowing water usually washed any dust out of the cave and left the floor either solid rock, gravel, or washed sand. This cave had no sign of water. It was dusty and had no stalactites or stalagmites. He began to wonder how a cave of this length was formed if not by erosion.
Odius passed many other bones as he journeyed deeper into the cave. All the bones, like those of the bear, were collected in various feeding piles. One of the piles contained a human skull, which was used as a nesting place by several small rodents.
There were many dragon tracks among the piles of bones. Odius crouched down by a set of tracks to determine just how big these creatures were. He could see clear imprints left by the hind legs and a flat, smooth area where the dragon dragged its belly across the ground. There was no sign of any front limbs. Either the dragons did not use their front limbs for locomotion, or any tracks made by their front limbs were smoothed over by their bellies.
This particular set of tracks lead out of the cave, which was a comforting thought to Odius. However, he saw other tracks that went the opposite direction. Odius began to wonder which tracks were most recent; those heading in toward the den, or those heading out to the rest of the world.
He only had to go another thirty or forty feet to find his answer. He came to a bottleneck where the cave's passage narrowed. The bottleneck was so narrow that the dragons had to pass through in single file. He could clearly see that the last dragon to pass by the bottleneck went into the cave because all their tracks converged and the last set of tracks went in.
An uneasy feeling rippled through Odius as he looked at the tracks. He knew for certain that at least one dragon was still in the cave. Since their eating habits were similar to animals that roam in packs, he thought they probably stayed together in a pack. If so, then all the dragons were somewhere between him and the staircase Maia spoke of. It was against his better judgment to walk into a den full of dragons, but his commitment to the Great Marce had to prevail. Odius pressed on.
The torchlight caught a reflection from something metallic just beyond the bottleneck. Odius cautiously passed through the bottleneck to look at the metal. As he drew closer he saw that the metal was a dusty shield lying next to a pile of human bones. After just a few more steps, his torch lit up a large area of bones and battle gear in a section where the cave bulged to double its normal width. The remains were numerous. Most of the bones were in the dragon's typical feeding piles, but some were just scattered about. There was a wide variety of abandoned battle gear: swords, bows, spears, shields, armor, and helmets. One of the helmets was still strapped to a dismembered skull.
The terrifying sight caught Odius by surprise. He paused just long enough to catch his stomach, then carefully stepped through this field of the dead. Odius briefly glanced at the remains as he walked by. The warriors who died here were of an elite corp. He recognized many of their coat of arms. These warriors were from the kingdoms of Mestor and Autowin. They were not just some ordinary high-ranking warriors, these men were of the kings' elite special forces. Odius began to realize that this was no matter of predator and prey a battle took place here.
He kept moving to keep ahead of the dust that relentlessly pursued him through the cave. He passed by many piles of bones and numerous dusty weapons. The sight of jeweled swords, shields, and dented armor of the elite lying half buried among bleached bones sent a chill through Odius. These were of the best men Atlantis had to offer, and they were massacred. Odius began to wonder what kind of chance he had against these monsters.
Somewhere near the back edge of the battlefield, he came across a sight that summed up the battle in one fleeting glance. He found intact skeletons of a man and dragon locked in battle.
The skeleton of the dragon was at least fifteen feet in length. It had a slender body with stout hind legs and front limbs that were distorted into wings. The dragon's wings somewhat resembled the wings of a bat; they were like short arms with extremely long fingers. Some of the fingers were at least eight feet in length and probably formed ribs of the wings. Odius guessed that this particular dragon had a wingspan of twenty-five feet, although wingspan was difficult to determine because of the position of the bones. The skeleton also had a long, tapering neck with a skull about the size of a large watermelon.
The skeleton of a warrior was still locked in the dragon's jaws. The dragon's six-inch fangs had pierced the man's chest armor, and the warrior's sword was still lodged in the dragons neck. The warrior had wedged the blade neatly between the third and forth vertebras behind the skull.
When Odius approached the warrior, he thought something seemed familiar about him. He had see that particular coat of arms before but could not quite place it. When Odius looked at the sword standing vertically from the monster's neck, he suddenly realized who the warrior was.
Only one man carried a sword with embedded rubies in a gold handle that would be Gratimus. Gratimus was a living legend from the kingdom of Autowin. All of Atlantis and most of the known world heard of his deeds. He had never been defeated in battle and had a reputation for winning against uncountable odds. A common Atlantean saying, 'Gratimus against the world', came about when Gratimus alone held a piece of ground against fifty men. After six days of battle, Gratimus was the only man left alive.
Odius stared at the sight until his dust trail crawled in and hid the remains of both warrior and beast. Odius remembered hearing a rumor that Gratimus went to fight the gods and had not yet returned. Until now, Gratimus was still presumed to be alive somewhere. Odius swallowed hard, then pressed on to get ahead of the dust.
The stench grew thicker over the next half mile and piles of bones became more frequent. Odius could feel his heart pounding in his chest as his fear grew with each step he took. As near as he could tell, he had walked over two miles and should be nearing the den.
Odius stopped when his torchlight fell on a brownish-green bulk not twelve feet in front of him. It was the inevitable! After taking a few more cautious steps, Odius could see that the brownish-green bulk was indeed a dragon. It was lying motionless on its belly in such a fashion that it nearly obstructed the whole passage. The monster was apparently sleeping; its eyes were closed and it took slow shallow breaths.
Although he was frightened he knew he must keep moving. The dust was persistent and unforgiving. If he stopped he could end up walking among the dragons in a dense fog of dust. Odius approached the sleeping tyrant with slow, cautious movements.
Odius guessed this particular dragon was a sentry. It seemed to be deliberately sprawled out across the passageway as if to block entry. It slept with its wings somewhat unfolded to cover the ground completely from one edge of the passageway to the other.
Odius clung to the jagged wall of the cave as he started to step around the beast. He moved very carefully as he shifted his attention between his footing and the dragon. Suddenly, something moved and Odius froze. At first he thought the prehistoric beast stirred, but he soon realized the movement was only a frightened mouse. A tiny dust trail followed the mouse as it darted from the edge of the cave to the dragon's head. The mouse scampered over the dragon's muzzle then fled to the far side of the cave. The dragon did not stir.
The persistent dust had begun to drift in over the dragon's head and Odius knew he should hurry if he wanted to pass the dragon in clear air. His legs were shaky and he could hardly breathe as he tip-toed past the bulk of the sentry. His heart was pounding so hard he thought his heartbeats would surely wake the dragon. He could not recall ever being so frightened.
He slowly stepped over the tip of the dragon's huge wing, then took a series of quick steps to get the dragon behind him. After he passed the dragon he looked back to make sure the dragon had not been disturbed. All he could see was a cloud of dust; there was no sound of any movement. Apparently, the dragon was still asleep.
Odius continued his journey to the illusive staircase and, hopefully, to the top of Mount Atlas. He thought his fear might subside after getting past the dragon but it only grew worse now his exit would be cut off if the others were alerted.
As he pressed on through the cave a comforting thought came to him; perhaps that was the only dragon in the cave! The thought that the worst might be over brought a smile to his face. Perhaps the rest of the journey would be a breeze. He began to breathe a little easier. He went less than twenty feet before that smile was shattered.
Odius suddenly found himself standing at the threshold of the den. He could hardly believe what he saw in the scant light of his torch. The huge den was filled wall-to-wall with sleeping dragons. He guessed there must have been at least twenty-five of them. Odius stopped breathing for a moment as he surveyed the mass of sleeping giants. The sight was hardly like anything he imagined.
Odius looked across the sleeping dragons for the stairway Maia spoke of. The light was dim and it was difficult to see, but Odius thought he could make out an alcove on the far side of the den. The alcove was about the size of an average doorway. He assumed it led to the stairs.
Odius tried to size up a path among the sleeping beasts. He had little time to plan a strategy because dust had already started to drift into the den. This was not the kind of place to wander about blind. Odius knew he had to keep ahead of the dust or risk bumping into a dragon.
Odius swallowed hard then, one foot at a time, started a slow, cautious pace through the den. He kept as much distance between dragons as possible. One by one, he passed dragon after dragon without incident. The monsters seemed to be extremely heavy sleepers. They just laid there, unaware of his presence. Odius was making excellent progress and knew he would be at the alcove in no time at all.
Everything was going better than expected until Odius became alerted to the sound of heavy movement. He stopped. Fear shot through him as he looked across the mass of sleeping giants. A restless dragon kicked up a large cloud of dust somewhere near the far left edge of the den. He watched in horror as a huge dragon emerged from the cloud of dust.
The dragon slithered on its belly like a snake as it pushed itself across the dusty floor with its powerful hind legs. It seemed to be half asleep as it wove its way between sleeping heaps of dragons. The other beasts completely ignored the movement. The restless dragon mindlessly wandered for twenty or thirty feet until it crashed into another dragon with a tremendous thud. The wayward collision sent large plumes of dust in the air, which quickly obscured everything at that end of the den.
Odius stood perfectly still as he stared at the advancing dust. He listened carefully for any movement but heard nothing other than his heart pounding in his chest. All appeared to be still once again. Odius swallowed hard then pressed on to get to the alcove before the dust engulfed him.
The cloud of dust advanced quickly and prompted Odius to move with a little more haste. He took long, rapid strides past the sleeping beasts as the cloud of dust closed in. Long strides changed to bounds as he hurried to get to the alcove before the dust. Misfortune fell when he planted his foot on what appeared to be solid ground but was actually loose dirt scattered over a dragon's tender wing.
The dragon immediately reared up and let out a high pitched scream like the call of an eagle. As it reared, it pulled its wing out from under Odius' foot and sent Odius falling to the ground. The dragon beat its huge wings several times and filled the entire den with a thick shroud of dust.
Odius brought himself to a sitting position as he tried to decide which way to run. He could hardly see his feet through the dense cloud of dust, much less the alcove. He could tell by noises around him that most if not all of the dragons had been awaken by the incident. Sounds seemed to be coming from all directions. He heard hissing and screeching as well as thunderous movement of thousand-pound bodies. He heard wings beating somewhere nearby then a blast of air blew dirt into his eyes. For a brief moment he was blinded by irritation.
Odius dropped his torch to rub the dirt from his eyes. He managed to get one eye open just in time to see the head and neck of a dragon hovering feet above him in the dense cloud of dust. An instant later his face twisted in pain as the dragon sunk its six-inch fangs deep into his right calf muscle. Odius screamed and scrambled for the torch but was unable to grab it before the dragon lifted him from the ground. He was sure his life would be over in seconds.
Odius dangled upside down with his leg firmly clamped in the dragon's jaws. The monster's grip tightened and quivering pain sent his body into a squirming frenzy. He wished he had something sharp so he could lash out in desperation, rather than submit in despair. Then it occurred to him the Master's shard!
He reached in his robe and fumbled with panic as he tried to get a grip on the shard. A split second later he pulled the shard from his robe then drove it as far as he could into one of the dragon's eyes. The dragon abandoned its grip on Odius as it bellowed out in pain.
Odius fell to the ground with a thud. He quickly scrambled to a sitting position, ready to fend off another attack, when he noticed something amiss. A bright reddish light filled the dusty air around him and the dragons began to shy away like frightened cattle. One by one they backed up, some even slithered off for darker corners of the den.
With all the excitement it took a while for Odius to discover the source of the strange red light; the shard in his hand was glowing! He could sense the power of the crystal as the shard held the dragons at bay. It was the first time he felt that power since the crystal's destruction in Atlanta.
Odius came to understand how the master's shard worked. He had no control over it, only his master could summon powers from within the shard itself. Apparently he woke his master when he ran the shard into the dragon's eye. It was actually his master who held the dragons at bay.
"It is good to have you with me again, Master."
He could hear his master's reply in his head, "To speak from this place takes much effort, young Odius."
Odius could feel the shard's power decrease as his master spoke. The light from the shard began to dim and the dragons edged a little closer. "I will stay with you as long as possible, young Odius, but I must remain silent. Haste, young Odius. Haste."
When the Great Marce finished speaking, the shard's light returned to full brilliance and the dragons resumed their retreat. Odius watched the dragons until they completely withdrew from sight. He could still hear them moving about under the cover of dust but none of them seemed bold enough to venture into the light.
Odius turned his attention to his injury. He held the shard next to his leg so he could examine the bite. The wound was hidden under a mixture of blood and fine, powdery dirt. He noticed blood oozing from both sides of his leg and realized that the fangs had gone all the way through. His leg had already started to swell and he knew he would have to tend to it quickly or face drastic consequences.
Odius struggled to his feet. It was a painful and laboring experience his crippled leg was stiff and would not support any weight at all. He looked around to make sure the dragons were still out of sight, then started for the alcove with a very pronounced limp.
Each step was awkward and painful but that did not seem to matter any more. Only moments ago he escaped death at the jaws of a dragon and was grateful for his life. Odius thought how the Great Marce paid a far greater price for this expedition when he shattered the crystal. His injury was nothing compared to his master's sacrifice. By the time he reached the alcove he was thinking of the journey ahead and his meeting with Poseidon. He still had no idea of what the meeting was about.
Odius leaned against the entrance of the alcove then looked back to make sure the dragons kept their distance. He could hear them moving about just beyond the shard's light but saw nothing. As far as his journey was concerned, the dragons were behind him and the stairway still lay ahead.
The alcove was actually a short cave about as long as the height of a man. Odius limped to the back of the alcove where he found the staircase Maia spoke of. He looked up the staircase and realized he still had hardships ahead of him. The staircase was more than extremely steep it was almost vertical!
The stairs were carved from fine bluish-grey rock and seemed more like a series of ledges than stairs. Each step was a different size ranging from one to three inches deep and one to two feet in height. Most of the steps were jagged or crooked, some were broken.
Odius held up the shard to get a better look. The staircase curved and twisted so badly that he could hardly see more than thirty feet before it bent out of view. It would have been a formidable climb in the best of health and near impossible with an injured leg.
Odius took some time to tend his injury before attempting the climb. A flush, feverish feeling had already started to come over him in response to the dragon's bite. He tucked the shard under his belt then lowered his pack to the ground.
"I will not fail you, Master."
Odius rummaged through his pack in search of a flask of water. After retrieving his water, he tore several strips of cloth from the edge of his robe.
"I know you can hear me, Master." Odius poured a gentle trickle of water over his wound. "My courage is great, and my will strong but my strength is fading."
Water mixed with blood and fine powdery dirt to form a slippery muck that rolled off his wound and slid down his leg in dark streaks. He used a cloth to gently brush the muck away from his tender wound. His first sight of the injury was much more disgusting than he imagined. Half of his leg was discolored with deep shades of red and purple. The degree of discoloration varied in proportion to its distance from the fang holes. Each fang hole was outlined with little tatters of chalk- white skin that begged to invite gangrene. The center of the fang holes still harbored small chunks of muck.
"Our quest must be of grave importance for you to lead me to such subjections. Please, Master, give me strength to do what must be done. Indeed, my will is strong."
Odius took several painful gasps as he tried to work the last bit of muck from his wound. The leg was tender and did not appreciate Odius' efforts of wiping, squeezing, and digging. He cleaned the wound as best he could, then wrapped it with a strip of cloth to keep any more dirt from finding its way in. He still felt feverish and ill as he stowed his belongings and readied himself for the long climb up the staircase.
Odius looked out the alcove one last time and saw nothing of the dragons. It seemed they preferred to stay out of sight. Satisfied that the dragons would not follow, he shouldered his pack then started up the stairs.
He had to climb the staircase as if it were a series of ledges rather than stairs. He used his hands to hold onto a ledge then pull himself up until he could get the toe of his left foot onto a lower ledge. He reached for the next ledge then repeated the process for each and every step. All the while his injured leg just hung like useless baggage.
Odius only assumed that the staircase led to the top of the mountain he did not know for sure. He began to wonder how many steps he had to climb in this pains-taking manner. His guess was hundreds or possibly thousands.
Odius kept climbing. His arm muscles began to ache after the first hundred feet or so. The nausea and fever brought about by the dragon's bite became worse as he struggled to climb the stairs. Every so often he would stop to rest, although it was not much of a rest since it took plenty of strength just to hang on. After a very short breather, he continued up the ratty, crooked stairs.
As Odius climbed he began to wonder about the battlefield where Gratimus died. They were elite warriors from two separate kingdoms. If Gratimus was among the warriors, then there was no mistaking the fact that somebody went through great pains to assemble the absolute best force Atlantis could muster. What Odius wondered was; why? He also wondered why soldiers were sent from two different kingdoms, Mestor and Autowin. He could only think of three possibilities: somebody bought the warriors as mercenaries; the battle was a joint effort between Mestor and Autowin; or the two groups of warriors died in two separate battles.
The thought bothered him as he made the slow ascent up the stairs. Odius decided to check the battlefield more closely on his way out. Perhaps he could determine from the spoils whether two independent battles were fought there, or if all the warriors died in the same conflict. As to the purpose of their mission, Odius could not even speculate. He hoped the top of the mountain might yield a clue to suggest why the warriors were sent, but until then he was lost for any ideas.
As Odius continued his grueling climb he came to suspect that the steep staircase, as well as the cave, dust, and dragons, were put here for a reason. Perhaps this passageway was only intended for the gods and the purpose of these obstacles, like the ice sheets, was to prevent men from ascending Mount Atlas. Odius began to worry that he might be intruding on territory of the gods. If this was true then his life was in great danger.
He remembered what his master told him the night he left Atlanta; the gods are not as they appear.
He thought to himself, what are the gods anyway?
He also remembered the lessons his master taught him when he read of the demise of Joda; the gods were powerful and sometimes vengeful. If this passage was only intended for the gods, then perhaps they would be angered by his presence. He suddenly remembered the most important lesson of all; never anger the gods.
The more he thought about it, the more he realized the whole thing stunk. He heard rumor that Gratimus went to battle the gods, then he just happens to find the warrior's remains on his way to summon Poseidon. Obviously someone other than the Great Marce knew that this mountain was of some significance to the gods. Who? More importantly; what did they expect to gain by a conflict with the gods? It seemed to be his most perplexing question; why were the warriors sent to Mount Atlas and by whom?
Odius continued to hash over these questions as he made his painful ascent up the forbidden corridor. He grew more weary with each step, and more nervous as he thought about the gods and the encounter he was to have with Poseidon. He also gave a lot of thought to Maia, who waited for him below the mountain.

Odius spent many hours climbing the treacherous staircase. As he got closer to the top, the steps got farther and farther apart. His leg continued to fester and throb. His muscles ached with pain more excruciating than any imaginable torture. His own strength gave out long ago and he had been drawing energy from the master's shard for the last several hours. He clearly realized the staircase was not intended for a man. He paused to take a short break and survey the staircase ahead.
For the first time during the entire climb he saw what appeared to be a landing. the stairs appeared to make a sharp bend not more than ten feet above him. He assumed it was a landing because he could see no steps above it, just bluish-grey rock. He was relieved to find a point where he could rest without having to hold on for his life. He cut his break short and continued the climb toward the landing.
When he reached the landing he found it was not a landing at all it was a dead end! The staircase led to a small dark room hardly eight feet square. He sat down and took a well deserved rest. After some heavy breathing, he lifted the shard like a torch to examine this place at the top of the stairs. It was just a room carved out of the same bluish-grey rock as the stairs. Just a room, nothing more. He saw no doors or exits, other than the staircase that led down to the dragon's den below.
"Where do I go from here Master?"
The shard had no reply.
He spent more than an hour in that room wondering why he came. His master told him he would know how to summon Poseidon when he reached the top of the mountain, but he didn't have a clue. He made a thorough search of the room for any hidden doors or some kind of concealed lever but found nothing.
He sat down and buried his face in his hands. His injured leg was throbbing and discolored. He still felt feverish and nauseous. He was discouraged, weak, and ill. Odius did not relish the thought of climbing back down the stairs, but there seemed to be little point in staying here. He decided it would be best to climb down the stairs now while he still had some strength left.
He lifted his face from his hands and looked around one last time before descending. He suddenly made a shocking discovery. There was a door just opposite the stairs a door that was not there before!
Odius hobbled to his feet and limped over to the door. It was carved from the same bluish-grey stone as the rest of the room and bore an inscription in seven languages. Odius understood four of the seven languages. Apparently the inscriptions were identical for each language. There was a brief statement saying that the door would only appear for several minutes twice each day. There was also a warning. Odius swallowed hard then read the warning out loud.
"If ye be mortal, pass not!"
The warning confirmed his suspicions; this mountain was clearly the domain of the gods. He did not want to flatly ignore the warning, but after all he had been through it would seem cowardly to let a few words turn him back. Odius was not sure when the door had first appeared and realized it could disappear at any moment. He had to make a decision now; follow his master's instructions, or heed the gods' warning.
His loyalty to his master was stronger than his fear of the gods. Odius decided to press on while the opportunity was still at hand. He placed both hands on the door then closed his eyes and swallowed hard. Odius gave the door a firm push then stumbled as he passed right through the blue stone as if it were a curtain of smoke. He tumbled to the ground, then found himself lying in tall grass at the top of the mountain.
The cool, damp mountain air was a welcome change from the stale air in the mountain passages. It was early daybreak, apparently Odius had spent the entire night crawling through the passageways deep inside the mountain. Now, seventeen days after he left Atlanta, he finally stood at the top of Mount Atlas.
"We made it at last, Master!"
Odius looked at the shard and realized that it no longer glowed.
"Rest then, Master. Indeed, the night was trying." He put the shard in his robe then struggled to his feet.
Odius found himself next to a large bluish- grey boulder. He was certain he tumbled from that boulder but saw no sign of any door or opening. Apparently the room at the top of the stairs was inside the huge rock. Odius wondered if the door would reappear on the outside of the boulder twice each day as it did on the inside, or if some godly magic was required to summon the door.
He looked across the top of the mountain. The morning light was dim yet bright enough to get the lay of the land. The summit of Mount Atlas was a small flat plateau about a half mile in diameter. The surrounding edges of the plateau were cloaked in artificial clouds but the grassy plain itself was under clear skies. Most of the plateau appeared to be empty grassland except for several other large bluish-grey boulders and some kind of shrine at the center.
The other boulders were identical to the one Odius stepped out of. He wanted to be sure he could find his way back to the proper boulder before he set off exploring. Odius took careful note of how this particular boulder was positioned in relation to the others. He thought of marking it somehow but decided not to for fear the gods might see it as a desecration.
When he was certain he could find this particular boulder without confusing it with others, he decided to change into his azure robe in preparation for his meeting with Poseidon. He originally packed his azure robe as a flighty thought when he left Atlanta in haste, now he was glad that he did because the robe he wore was dirty and tattered after all he had been through. He knew appearance was important when making a first impression, but he was not sure if appearance meant anything to a god. He quickly changed robes then started for the shrine at the center of the plateau.
His pace was very slow and lopsided because of his stiff leg. Odius did not have the opportunity to work the injured leg while climbing the stairs and found the exercise to be beneficial. He noticed the stiffness gradually improved as he worked the leg, but if he paused even for a moment the stiffness quickly returned.
As Odius limped toward the shrine, he wondered about the other boulders. Was each one a door to another passageway through the mountain? And if so, did the other passages lead somewhere or were they just dead ends like a trap for the unsuspecting. Perhaps the other boulders served a completely different purpose. Maybe they were just plain old garden variety boulders.
Odius took careful note of everything he saw on his way to the shrine. There did not appear to be any signs of animals at all. He saw no burrows, no tracks, no sign of grazing, and no dung. He even noticed a complete absence of insects. In fact, it would appear that only one type of grass grew on the summit. There were no weeds, flowers, moss, fungus nothing but the shin-high broad-blade grass.
There was also a strange feeling in the air. It was not a feeling of substance like dampness or wind, it was more a feeling of excitement or thrill. It seemed to make his skin crawl but not entirely in an unpleasant way. He felt anxious and sensed a certain magic surrounding him. It was remotely similar to the sensation he got from the crystal back in Atlanta, only many times greater. The feeling seemed to get stronger as he approached the shrine.
The shrine was perfectly flat and looked like a white stone disk embedded in the ground. It was about a hundred feet across and smooth like marble. There were also markings on the shrine and a small structure resembling a podium on the far edge of the stone disk.
The markings on the shrine were simple; just two red lines and two concentric circles. The lines were at right angles to each other and crossed at the center of the disk. The circles were centered on the disk, one inside the other, with an equal distance between the edge of the disk, outer circle, inner circle, and the center where the lines crossed. Odius had no idea what the symbol meant. He saw nothing like it in the ancient scripts at Atlanta.
Then, Odius happened across a curious pattern in the grass at the edge of the shrine. The grass appeared to be flattened into a circle. The circle was perfectly round and about eight feet in diameter. Upon closer inspection, Odius found that the grass was not flattened at all each individual stalk was neatly bent just above the root. The stalks were bent, not crushed or broken, and the plant still appeared to be healthy and green. Each stalk was bent to point in a counterclockwise direction at right angles to the center of the circle.
At first Odius did not realize what, if anything, was significant about the circle until he noticed three others at equal distance around the shrine. It was the language of the ancients! Most people did not understand this lost form of writing, but Odius had to learn it because some of the scrolls at Atlanta were written in the ancient script.
The language of the ancients was not a true natural language, that is; it was associated with general ideas rather than a spoken word. This ancient form of writing had severe limitations and was eventually abandoned because it could not be directly translated into natural languages. The language of the ancients dealt primarily with generalizations conveyed through a series of hieroglyphs. For example, four solid circles surrounding an object conveyed the general idea of 'yes', 'good', 'allowed', or 'usable'. Odius took this to mean that it was OK to visit the shrine.
Odius stepped onto the shrine with confidence since the markings in the grass told him that it was permitted. He briefly crouched down, though his injured leg would not bend all that well, to inspect one of the red lines on the huge white disk. The lines appeared to be made of inlaid gems. Odius could not identify the gems but they reminded him of rubies. All the gems were uniform and perfectly rectangular, about four inches by eight inches. When he looked very closely, he could see something deep inside each gem, but had no idea what they were. After inspecting the gems, he limped toward the center of the shrine.
The Great Marce told him he would know how to summon Poseidon when he got to the top of Mount Atlas. He still had no idea what his master meant. As he got closer to the center of the shrine, the unexplainable feeling in the air continued to get stronger. He thought this odd feeling might have something to do with summoning Poseidon.
The feeling in the air grew remarkably strong when Odius reached the center of the shrine. Odius decided to experiment with the magic that seemed to permeate the summit. He closed his eyes as if to summon powers of the crystal. He tried to concentrate on the gods or at least conjure some kind of guidance on what to do next. After several minutes, Odius submitted to the fact that it was lost effort. He felt somewhat silly and realized he was nothing more than a mouse in this territory of the gods.
Odius decided to examine the structure that resembled a podium. As he walked toward the structure, the strange feeling of magic in the air continued to grow even more. Odius originally assumed the power emanated from the center of the shrine, but it soon became obvious that the strange feeling actually came from the podium. As he drew closer, he could see it was not a podium at all it was a short wall, about two feet wide and four feet high, which sheltered a huge crystal on a pedestal.
Odius approached the crystal with caution. It rested on a simple cylindrical column made of the same type of stone as the shrine. The crystal was immense; almost three times larger than the crystal in Atlanta. It rested loosely in two gold rings at right angles to each other. The rings formed a cage that was big enough to allow a hand to be placed on the crystal, yet small enough so the crystal could not be removed from its pedestal. Odius could sense that this crystal was several hundred times more powerful than the crystal he used in Atlanta. Odius also came to realize that this crystal was not meant for a Great Marce it was definitely a tool of the gods. A crystal like this would be difficult to master.
Suddenly Odius realized how he could summon Poseidon he could use the crystal! His master was right; it would become obvious when he reached the summit of Mount Atlas. Now all he needed to know was; why should he summon Poseidon. He took the master's shard out of his robe.
"Master?"
The shard began to glow, "Yes, young Odius?"
"Master, why must I summon Poseidon, what shall I say?"
There was a noticeable pause before the Great Marce replied, "Tell Poseidon that our world is in grave danger from within. Beseech him to help or his loyal subjects will perish."
"Simply that, Master?"
"Yes, simply that nothing more. Be careful, young Odius. Remember Poseidon is an angry god."
"Yes Master."
"The whole of the world is at risk, young Odius. Summon the god at once without delay or hesitation. This deed must be done."
"As you say, Master."
"Above all, young Odius, be careful. Poseidon is an angry god." Once again, the master's shard went dark.
"Indeed I shall be careful, Master"
Odius put the shard back in his robe, then took a position in front of the crystal. He cracked his knuckles and took a deep breath. Odius stared at the crystal for a moment as he tried to relax, though he was far too tense. When Odius decided he was as ready as he would ever be, he placed a nervous hand on the crystal of the gods.
Odius closed his eyes and began to concentrate. He found the crystal to be like riding a stampede; there was great power all around him but he had little influence over it. Rather than commanding the powerful crystal he could only suggest his intentions.
After several weary minutes, the clouds at the edge of the plateau began to churn and boil. Odius became more nervous as he felt a general sensation of anger fill the air. The ground began to rumble and a stiff wind blew across the plateau. This continued for some time before a deep voice bellowed across the summit. It was a loud, booming voice that rang with authority and intimidation.
"Who dare to summon Poseidon!? WHO DARE!?"
Odius removed his hand from the crystal and took a few nervous steps backward.
"It is I, Odius."
The skies began to darken and thunder rumbled through the clouds.
"My master sent me to "
"SILENCE!" the voice commanded.
Several bolts of lightning struck the plateau as the clouds grew thicker and thicker at an unnatural rate. Then there was a thunderous blast of wind that nearly knocked Odius over, followed by several more lightning strikes. Each successive bolt of lightning came progressively closer to Odius until the last one struck the crystal only feet away.
Odius dropped to the ground to humble himself and appease the angry Poseidon. Seconds later, six or seven bolts of lightning hit the ground in rapid succession, all within an arm's length of Odius.
Odius shouted as he cried out in fear, "I meant no harm!"

Maia looked up from the base of the mountain. She had been watching the clouds around the summit ever since the rumbling and thunder drew her attention. The activity at the summit caused the whole mountain to tremble. At one point the mountain shed several multi-ton chunks of ice that roared down the steep slopes. None of the ice fell close enough to Maia to cause her concern.
What did concern Maia was the angry, churning clouds surrounding the summit. At daybreak the clouds were only a small stationary mass gathered around the peak. But as soon as the rumbling started the clouds quickly grew into a black swirling mess that circled the summit like vultures circling the dead. The formidable mass had grown to blot out half the sky and was still growing!
Maia looked up at the unnatural sight with a tear in her eye. "I see you made it past the dragons, Odius. Now how will you fare against the demons?"

Odius was still trembling on the ground near the crystal of the gods. He had been spared any near lightning strikes ever since he shouted in fear. Although he was frightened, he could still think clearly. He wondered what the point of all this might be. Was the thunder and lightning meant to show him his place beneath the gods, or did it serve another purpose? Odius also wondered what would happen next. Would he actually see Poseidon, or was all the thunder and lightning a warning to say 'never try this again'?
His attention was drawn from his thoughts when the markings on the shrine began to flash in a curious manner. Four bright red points of light appeared on the shrine, one at the end of each line. The lights moved quickly as they followed the lines toward the center. Each time the lights passed one of the concentric circles the whole circle briefly flashed on, then off; first the outer circle then the inner circle. The lights disappeared when they met at the center, then the whole pattern repeated itself over and over in rapid succession.
Odius began to suspect that the shrine served some greater purpose than merely paying tribute to the gods. He watched the strange lights and carefully took note of as much detail as possible. Despite his fear, Odius wanted to learn more about this magic of the gods.
His fear increased when he noticed a strange kind of lightning collecting high above the shrine. The lightning looked like cloud to cloud lightning, except the bright flashes changed in color from yellow, through various shades of orange, to red. The flashes seemed to get progressively brighter and more concentrated in the area just above the shrine. Then Odius realized that there was no thunder associated with this lightning.
What manner storm is this, he thought.
Odius wondered if this was the type of storm that brought plagues of insects or buried entire cities under a shower of stones. Odius worried that perhaps this storm would impale him to the clouds forever, or inflict a disaster far beyond anything he could imagine.
Odius felt his fear grow as the lightning became more concentrated in the skies just above the shrine. He believed Poseidon had the power to incarcerate his soul and might do so if provoked. When he faced the dragons he feared for his life, but here he feared for his eternal existence. Despite his wild trembling fear, his craving for knowledge of the mystic arts kept panic at bay. He was mesmerized by the this magic of Poseidon.
Whatever was taking place in the shrine and clouds above it went far beyond his understanding. Odius suddenly felt out of place. He realized that Poseidon was right; how dare he a mere mortal man summon a god with the power and fury of Poseidon.
The strange lightning stopped when a large mass of light began to slowly descend from the clouds above the shrine. It was an oblong mass and seemed to continually change shape and color. The mass of light changed color from yellow, through orange, to red, through orange again, back to yellow, and so on. The cloud of light made no sound as it slowly drifted straight down out of the sky.
As it settled to the shrine, Odius could see a strange object embedded in the cloud of light. It was huge, maybe eighty feet in diameter, and roughly resembled two shallow bowls joined at the rims. It stopped just a foot above the shrine, then hung there, motionless.
"I meant no harm," Odius said in a broken whisper.
The cloud of light began to diminish but never completely disappeared. Then Odius noticed a circle of light about seven feet across appear on the side of the object. It was a perfectly round disk of brilliant white light. A split second latter, the great god himself, Poseidon, emerged from the light. He hung in mid air, just like his flying chariot, with his feet about a yard off the ground.
Poseidon looked just like the statues in Atlanta. He resembled a man about fifty years of age with a husky build and height of six and one-half feet. His dark brown, curly hair ran down the side of his face to form a full beard. He was barefoot and simply dressed in a loose toga. He held his characteristic trident proudly in his right hand and just floated in mid air. He did nothing other than stare at Odius with cold, empty eyes. His eyes were nothing like those of a man, they were completely black without whites or pupils. They looked like cold, lifeless pools of mire.
Odius just stood there looking back. He could hardly believe he was standing face to face with the patron god of Atlantis. There was a fear, or more like terror, that seemed to surround the aura of Poseidon. He knew he should not take too much of the god's time, but he could hardly bring himself to speak. He was not even sure of the proper way to address a god. As he tried to find the words to state his business, Poseidon began to approach.
The god floated through the air toward Odius without moving a muscle and without breaking his empty stare. He came within two feet of Odius and hovered just six inches off the ground. Odius was pushed near panic. He tried to take several steps backward but discovered that he could not move. He did not understand why he was unable to take his eyes off of Poseidon's black, gazing stare. It was as if he had no will of his own, or like his body was held in the grip of Poseidon.
Poseidon never broke eye contact as he lowered his trident and placed the center point firmly under Odius' chin.
When the god spoke, his loud booming voice seemed to come from everywhere.
"Why do you tax me, little one?"
Odius nearly fell apart. After a brief surge of panic he quickly regrouped his thoughts. He knew if he wanted to fare well through this experience he should not keep the god waiting for an explanation. He should just simply state what his master told him to say.
"Great Poseidon," he swallowed hard, which was difficult with the point of a trident under his chin, "our world is in grave danger from within. I beg of you, please help us, or your loyal subjects will surely perish."
"WHAT!?" Poseidon shouted in an angry voice, "You summon me from Olympus to tell me that which I already know?"
Odius was not sure if Poseidon actually expected a reply to his rhetorical question. He wanted to turn his eyes to the ground but could not. No matter how hard he tried, he could not break eye contact with Poseidon's black stare.
Poseidon removed his trident from Odius' chin then raised it to the heavens.
"I AM A GOD!" he shouted. "I know more of these matters than you could possibly learn."
Poseidon brought his trident across his chest. He still would not let Odius move or turn his eyes from the god's penetrating stare. "You mortals have destroyed my Atlantis with corruption and evil. You infect other lands with war and conquest. Many gods of Olympus argue over the exploits of Atlantis. Zeus grows angry and blames me, Poseidon, for conflicts in Olympus. Now you," he pushed Odius sharply with the staff of his trident, "have summoned me to Atlas." Odius was allowed to stumble backward several steps, he found the extra distance somewhat comforting. "Now I must explain to Zeus why I have been summoned to Atlas!"
Poseidon advanced closer to Odius, "What shall I tell him Odius?"
Odius was so frightened that he could hardly muster a broken whisper, "I I don't know, Great Poseidon."
"Certainly you don't know." He pointed toward the kingdom of Autowin with his trident. "You don't even know what takes place in Autowin! Mortals there wish to challenge the gods. Olympus wants to destroy Atlantis, but I, Poseidon, have stood in their way. Is that not enough to ask from a god?"
"Forgive me, great Poseidon. I meant no harm. I come only because I love Atlantis and "
"And your master asked you to come."
"Yes, great Poseidon."
"I will spare your life because you serve your master and he has served me well. He destroyed the crystal before your foolish king could cause more problems for me."
Poseidon began to slowly float backward toward the shrine. "But I have spoke your name, Odius. Such is demeaning to a god. I once spoke the name of Joda, son of Lykos. Like he, you shall be imprisoned for life.
"I condemn you, Odius, son of Everet, to the confines of this summit. Here you shall stay for the length of your mortal days."
Poseidon slowly drifted backward into the circle of light on the side of his flying chariot, then disappeared from view. Odius found he was free to move as soon as he lost sight of Poseidon's empty eyes. His fear took much longer to subside.
The cloud of light that surrounded the god's chariot began to increase in size and intensity. After several seconds, the mass of light, chariot, and poseidon, ascended into the clouds. Odius watched as the light disappeared into the heavens.
Although Odius trusted the Great Marce without question, he could not help but wonder why this trip to the territory of the gods was necessary. What did the Great Marce expect to achieve? The thought bothered Odius for quite some time. What bothered Odius even more was the fact that he failed his master Poseidon was not willing to help.
Odius waited quite some time for his fear to subside. By the time he felt fit enough to approach his master the angry grey clouds had already changed to a soft white fluff. He reached in his robe and took out the master's shard.
"Master?"
The shard began to glow with it's familiar greenish-yellow light, "Yes, young Odius?"
"I fear I have failed you, Master."
"Faith, young Odius, faith." The shard went dark and his master said nothing more.

Maia had been watching the summit from her campsite at the base of the mountain. She watched the clouds grow to a dark, angry fury, then dwindle back to a peaceful white fluff huddled around the summit. She spoke quietly to herself as she looked up at the summit, "Well, Odius, did you win or did you lose?"