| Part 31 Ares flashed straight into his bathing room and knelt in front of the toilet he�d made for Joxer. He braced his hands on the bowl as he retched painfully. When it finally died down, he sat back on his heels and wiped the stinging tears from his eyes. � Can�t go through this again,� he whispered. His eyes closed for a moment. When they opened, they were dark with cold fury. He stood and ran to the War Room. � Discord, Mischief, here NOW!� Twin flashes signalled his sister and nephew�s arrival. They took one look at him and paled. � Joxer�s gone. One of the others has him. I want him FOUND! You have my permission to do whatever you have to,� Ares roared. Eris couldn�t help the vicious smile that crossed her face. Free reign, this was the one thing all the Gods feared, and with good reason. � No need for that,� Apollo flashed into the room. Ares glared at him, � What do you mean?� � I know who took Joxer.� Apollo found himself lifted off his feet and slammed up against the wall. � What do you mean you know, you couldn�t share this before? Why didn�t you stop it?� Ares hissed in his ear. � Ares,� Apollo choked, � Trying to help.� Something flashed in Ares� eyes and he dropped his brother. Apollo rubbed his throat and coughed harshly. � Explain,� Ares� voice was rough. Apollo looked up, surprised. He thought he detected a hint of apology. � I saw Demeter sneaking away from Art and �Thena when I spoke to them about your pregnancy. I thought it was a bit weird, so I decided to keep an eye on her, just in case. I saw her haul Joxer to her temple this morning.� Apollo shivered at the deadly smile on Ares� face. He was very glad he was not in Demeter�s shoes. � Eris, Strife,� Ares waved his hand for them to follow and flashed out of the room. Strife grinned at Apollo and vanished, following his mother. Apollo shook his head and then smiled suddenly, War owed him a favour! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Demeter was surprised in the middle of her meal by three flashes of light. � Get her,� gasped Ares, bending over. The amount of transporting he�d done that day was killing his stomach. Strife and Eris grabbed Demeter�s arms before she could do anything. � What is the meaning of this?� Demeter squealed, struggling against them. Ares straightened and faced her. The stone cold rage in his eyes made her flinch fearfully. � I think you�ll find, I�ll be asking the questions here, Demeter,� he said menacingly. Demeter licked her lips nervously. � What did you do with my consort?� Demeter paled, � That bastard, he sold me out!� Ares frowned, � And that would be?� � Zeus,� she muttered. Ares circled her like a predatory animal. � Maybe you should share what you and dearest Father have been up to,� Ares� voice was deadly quiet. Demeter flinched again. � NOW!� Ares roared. A fireball began growing in his hand. � I found out about your pregnancy. It�s disgusting, it shouldn�t be allowed!� she said rather unwisely. The fireball hit her in the stomach and she flew across the room, slamming into the wall. Eris and Strife dragged her to her knees and pulled her forward again. � Continue,� Ares said hoarsely. � I went to Zeus and demanded he put a stop to it.� This time she managed to duck. The fireball hit a statue and it exploded. � Zeus agreed,� she continued hurriedly, � but I don�t know why he told me to take Joxer.� � Zeus knows I�m pregnant?� She nodded. Ares glared at her, � You stupid fool!� He strode over to her, � See, see what you wanted to destroy!� he grabbed her hand and put it on his stomach. Her eyes widened. Ares gripped her hair, pulling her head back painfully. � Where is he?� he spat. � I don�t know,� she whispered. His eyes narrowed and he punched her in the face. Demeter gasped, tears springing to her eyes. � I don�t know,� she whimpered. � I don�t, once I�d taken Joxer there, the room was hidden from me.� � ARGH!� Ares screamed. He gripped her chin with his other hand and broke her neck with a vicious twist. Her head flopped forward. He closed his eyes. � Hurt her,� he whispered. Then he vanished. Demeter�s head lifted as her neck healed and she stared in horror at the twin expressions of anger and horrible glee, on Discord and Mischief�s faces. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ares reappeared in Hera�s temple and he clutched a table, breathing in heavily. � Mother!� he called, dropping to his knees. Hera flashed into the room. � Ares, what is it?� she touched his shoulder in concern. � Zeus knows, he�s taken Joxer,� Ares whispered. � How? Why?� � Demeter found out and told him. I don�t know why he�s taken Joxer.� � Can you find him?� she asked. Ares shook his head, � My link with him has been blocked.� He shuddered with repressed tears. Hera frowned thoughtfully. � The only way he could do that is to put Joxer between space and time,� she said. Ares looked up hopefully. � We�ll need help to access it, but I think we can penetrate the shields for one person to get through.� Ares nodded, � I�ll go.� � Of course,� Hera pulled him to his feet. � I�ll get everyone who might help. Heph, Dite, Eris, Cupid, Strife, Apollo, Asclepius, Deimos, Phobos, Artemis, here now!� she shouted. Several flashes lit the room. � What is it?� asked multiple people. � Eris, is that blood?� Hera asked with a frown. Eris grinned and nodded. � Clean yourself up please.� � Well, if you�re going to interrupt a torture session,� Eris muttered cleaning herself with a wave of her hand. � Children,� said Hera quietly, � I would like your help. We need to break into a shielded area, between time and space to rescue War�s consort from Zeus.� She raised her hand to stop any questions, � I realise many of you will do this voluntarily. For the rest of you, if you do not wish to help I understand. If, however, you do, both myself and Ares will owe you a favour.� Ares looked at his relatives for an answer. As one they stepped forward and nodded. Then he did something some of his family were used to, but the rest rarely saw; he smiled. � Form a circle around Ares and join hands,� Hera instructed them. � Now, direct your power to me.� Hera jerked backwards at the initial burst of power but quickly got it under control. She let the power build up inside her until she glowed with the force of it. When she reached her limit, she let it flow out towards Ares, concentrating on breaking space and time. Ares slammed backwards with the force of the power, but instead of flying across the room, he vanished. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Joxer tried hard to remain upright so the chains didn�t cut into his wrists. But the blood he�d lost was making it hard for him to stay conscious. He�d had one visit from Zeus after he�d awakened, chained and half-naked in a strange place. Zeus had taken great delight in telling him how distraught Ares was, before whipping him to within an inch of his life. Joxer had lost count of the number of times he�d lost consciousness. Being immortal didn�t lessen the pain, or speed the healing. Zeus had promised to return soon and start over with something new. His aim was to drive Joxer completely mad, affecting Ares and hence their children, through their bond. Joxer heard a small explosion and there was a sudden blast of air and he tensed expecting Zeus. He felt a sudden rush of love and relaxed, sensing his beloved�s presence. � Ares,� he sighed. --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ares found himself in a small, stuffy, badly lit room. His eyes immediately found Joxer, and he sucked in a breath at the tattered, bloody remains of Joxer�s back and legs. He heard Joxer breathe his name and rushed forward to hold him up before he collapsed. Careful not to touch his back, Ares slipped between Joxer and the wall and tipped his head up. His eyes were glazed with pain, but somehow he managed to smile at Ares. � Knew you�d find me,� he whispered. Ares cupped his cheek and rested his forehead against Joxer�s. � Always love. I�ll always find you,� he whispered. � I�m sending you home.� Ares unclasped the manacles and Joxer flopped against him. � I�ll come soon.� � No, Ares, please don�t stay here.� Ares pushed him back gently and lifted his hand. � Please don�t,� Joxer sobbed, before he disappeared. Ares closed his eyes for a second, trying to banish the image of Joxer�s heartbroken face. When his eyes opened they were cold again. He walked over to the table, where various instruments of torture were laid out. He picked up the whip, which was still coated in Joxer�s blood and he wiped it clean, rubbing the congealed, sticky mess onto his chest. He glanced over the table and picked up a long, thin blade. Then he leant on the table and waited. |