The Mighty Ones' Fall

Chapter 20: The Fall

When the light died down, the spirits of the major gods of the Olympian Council, Alec's only true friends, stood around him in a semicircle, all wearing shining armor over traditional Grecian tunics and togas. Even Hades was there to represent, dressed in signature black robes. My mind whirled as I felt the heat of their unique auras washing over me all at once. Suddenly I had trouble breathing, and not just because their handsomeness took my breath away. It felt like east coast summer humidity, but magnified by a thousand, to the point where I felt like the weight of the world was crashing against me.

Dumbfounded, Jason and the entire Knowing camp watched on as Lady Athena, who was standing just to the right of Alec, leaned over and whispered something into her hero's ear. Whatever she said must have been encouraging, because Alec only smirked, and I had to think that he looked awfully serene for someone who was, quite possibly, about to die. He then stepped out of the line, turned around to face the gods, and knelt down on one knee out of respect.

With a solemn expression on his face, Lord Zeus raised one hand into the air, and white hot lightning shot out from his fingertips up to the clouds. His voice boomed like thunder as he proclaimed, "Let the battle begin. May the best fighter win."

"Good luck," Lady Athena added, her voice lighter than her father's, floating through the air like wind. "And try not to die."

With a determined nod, Alec stood up and turned around in order start the fight, only to find himself staring at his mother and Jason locking lips and tightly holding onto each other. Suddenly Clara's previous actions made much more sense, but my mind felt too fuzzy to focus. While the rest of the crowd only gasped, Alec had restraint enough to wait until he had Clara and Jason's full attention. But all the hero asked was "How long?" and so I knew he must have suspected the affair.

When his mother responded in a shaking voice, "A few years," Alec just closed his eyes and shook his head in disbelief and anger. The silence that settled over the stadium was tense and uncomfortable, but it lasted only until Alec shouted at the top of his lungs, "For Olympus!" He didn't hesitate even one moment before racing at full speed toward Jason, who just let out a roaring laugh and used his shield to easily block Alec's sword thrust. Clara meanwhile screamed with fear as she leaped out of the arena.

When I heard the clang of metal against metal, I couldn't help but glance over at the glowing gods, who were all frowning or clutching onto each other in anxious anticipation. They were bystanders, just like the rest of the Knowing, and I finally saw what Alec meant by fighting alone, both physically and mentally. It was no longer Alec and the gods versus Jason - it was just Alec versus Jason, rebel versus tyrant. 

Alec was on the defensive now, parrying each blow perfectly. But as Jason continued to push forward, I could see that Alec desperately needed a shield if he was going to have any chance at winning. Jason was too good a fighter, and it was anybody's game. Even with precise stabs and slashes, Alec managed to place only a few hits, leaving Jason bleeding from a couple different places but far from outright losing.

Meanwhile, I searched the crowds for a Warrior who might be in support of Alec. Hearing Alec and Jason's shouts and grunts of agony only made me more anxious, so I ended up grabbing the first shield I saw, one that was still attached to a Warrior's arm. He just gave me the death glare and used it to push me to the ground.

So it was from the ground that I watched Jason bring his sword down over Alec in a huge, sweeping, diagonal motion. It was from the ground that I watched Alec block the swing and, with a flick of his wrist, send Jason's sword hurtling off to the side. And just as Jason dove after his weapon, Alec lunged forward and slashed the Knowing leader across the neck. As he collapsed in the sand, Jason's head was thrown back, still attached to the rest of his body by only a patch of skin and maybe a tendon. Dark blood spurted everywhere, showering the grainy sand, while Alec was left gasping for breath but standing triumphantly over the dead tyrant.