Andy Jackson: Child of Land & Sea

The Nature of Wisdom

Act IV — To Stop The Tide

Part VII — It's not my fault if in God's plans, He made the devil so much stronger than the man.

Luke was walking through the dark palace on top of Mount Tam. He was dressed for battle. He walked into a large courtyard where dozens of warriors and dracaenae were preparing for war. When they saw him, the demigods rose to attention. They beat their swords against their shields.

"Issss it time, my lord?" a dracaenae asked.

"Soon," Luke promised. "Continue your work."

"My lord," a voice said behind him. Kelli the empousa was smiling at him. "You have a visitor," she told Luke. She stepped aside and Kampê came forward.

"You," Luke's voice sounded a little shaky. "I told you to stay on Alcatraz."

"I come to serve," she said. "Give me revenge."

"You're a jailer," Luke said. "Your job—"

"I will have them dead. No one escapes me."

Luke hesitated. "Very well," he said. "You will go with us. You may carry Ariadne's string. It is a position of great honor." Kampê hissed, turned and went pounding down the hallway. "We should have left that one in Tartarus," Luke mumbled. "She's too chaotic. Too powerful."

Kelli laughed. "You should not fear power, Luke. Use it."

"The sooner we leave, the better. I want this over with."

"Aww," Kelli sympathized. "You find it unpleasant to destroy your old camp?"

"I didn't say that."

"You're not having second thoughts about your own, ah, special part?"

Luke's face turned stony. "I know my duty."

"Good," the demon said. "Is our strike force sufficient, you think? Or will I need to call Mother Hecate for help?"

"We have more than enough," Luke said grimly. "The deal is almost complete. All I need now is to negotiate safe passage through the arena."

"Mmm," Kelli said. "That should be interesting. I would hate to see your handsome head on a spike if you fail."

"I will not fail. And you, she-demon, don't you have other matters to attend to?"

"Oh, yes," Kelli smiled. "I am bringing despair to our eavesdropping enemies. I am doing that right now." And she turned her eyes directly at Andy.

Suddenly Andy stood at the top of a stone tower. Daedalus was hunched over a worktable, wrestling with some kind of navigational instrument.

"Uncle," said a smiling boy, carrying a wooden box.

"Hello, Perdix," the old man said. "Done with your projects already?"

"Yes, uncle. They were easy!"

Daedalus scowled. "Easy? The problem of moving water uphill without a pump was easy?"

"Oh, yes. Look!" The boy dumped the box and showed the inventor some diagrams and notes. Daedalus nodded.

"I see. Not bad."

"The king loved it," the small boy said. "He said I might be even smarter than you! But I don't believe that. I am so glad Mother sent me to study with you! I want to know everything you do."