Vampire Greek: The Burning King

Roman got to his feet slowly, his victory overshadowed by the eleven gods staring at him in astonishment. Hera stared daggers at him while Aphrodite quietly pulled her away.

“What’s your plan now, kid?” Ares asked him, the only one seemingly happy about the situation.

“Nothing. I don’t want to overthrow Olympus, I don’t want to be king or anything, I just wanted revenge.”

“Now that you’ve got it, what will you do?” asked Demeter.

“I’ll go home,” he responded. “But not without Willa.”

“That’s cute.” said Ares. “Real cute. Meanwhile, we have a real issue on our hands. In Zeus’ absence, we need a new leader.”

“Hera, obviously.” Artemis answered. “She is the queen of the gods.”

“But Zeus, Poseidon and Hades divided up their shares of the world. Don’t you think there needs to be a similar agreement in Zeus’ stead?” Ares asked Poseidon.

“What are your intentions Ares?” Poseidon asked him, eyes narrowed. “Hades isn’t even here to be consulted.”

“Better late than never.” Hades appeared behind them, leaning on a pillar with Persephone at his side. She quickly left her husband to hug her mother, the two women the only ones smiling in the room. Roman could feel the temperature in the room drop dramatically.

He walked around each of the gods, chewing on seeds.

“I have a problem. You have a problem. We have a problem. Zeus is in Tartarus. It is beyond my power to release him. This is because of Typhon.” Everyone’s faces paled at the mention of his name. Hades pointed at Roman, the look in his nowhere near as friendly as it was before.

“He gathered help in Tartarus, clearly evident by his immense size and borrowed power. But he was a pawn to a greater being. Typhon, along with other punished souls, dragged Zeus down into the depths of Tartarus in hopes of seeking revenge the same way he did. There’s no doubt that Zeus will be back, but who else will he be angry at when he does?”

Hades looked at Apollo and Aphrodite. “Zeus’ wrath knows no bounds. Someone will pay. No, lots of people will pay. All of those inmates you spoke with in Tartarus, their eternity is about to get a lot worse.”

Roman stared back at Hades in silence, his mind riddled with guilt. He told them he could help them, but now he’s put them in an even greater danger. He thought he could barter with Hades but apparently his hands are tied.

“Oh, except for the Danaides, they made it safely to Asphodel.” Hades remembered. “Zeus thinks I helped you. He thinks a few other gods helped you. When he gets back, I don’t even know who will be first on his list, us, or you.”

“Release Willa from whatever prison he put her in and I’ll go. I’ll do what he said, and avoid the gods for the rest of my life.”

Hades shook his head. “It’s too late for that.”

“And we don’t know where he sent Willa.” said Aphrodite sadly. “We can’t help you find her.”

Roman was shocked.

“No. no, that’s bull crap. You’re lying.”

“Roman, you know more than anyone that I-” Aphrodite cut herself off, acutely aware of the other gods glancing at her.

“Hera, can’t you-” Roman began, but she cut him off.

“As much as I want to I don’t know where he cast her. And I wouldn’t blatantly undo what my husband does. Not in plain sight, at least.”

“Then I’m not leaving!” said Roman, glaring at the twelve gods. “She helped me get here. She just wanted to be happy. Everything Zeus did to her was horrible, and I will not leave until she returns. If that means waiting till he comes back, so be it.”

“You aren’t afraid?” asked Apollo. “You nearly lost.”

“I don’t care. I’ll piss him off more since disrespect is the only thing he seems to understand. I’ll sit on his throne and wait for him to come back.”

“You have truly lost your mind!” said Hera, aghast. You’ll be blasted to cinders”

Roman walked over to the throne and shrugged her off.

“Been there. Done that. Are one of you going to claim his place in his absence? Y’all look a little scared to me.”

“Watch yourself, boy. We didn’t interfere when Zeus fought you but any of us here could turn you to ash.” Ares declared.

“He sent you after me,” said Roman, touching the armrest of Zeus’ marble throne. “Don’t you get tired of being someone’s puppet?”

Ares hands burst into flame. “You arrogant, rat-faced-”

“I won’t be attempting to take Zeus’ position.” said Hades, interrupting him. “What about you Poseidon?”

“Tempting, but no. Ares? You dare take Zeus’ place?”

Ares looked at them, still furious. “I’d rather not be here when Zeus returns. Have fun cleaning up his remains.” Ares became a whirlwind of fire and disappeared.

“All of you intend on doing nothing.” said Hestia. “If you fear his wrath that much, you are free to go. I however, will stay. I damn you, boy. I curse the throne. For every second you sit upon it your flesh will burn as hot as the midday sun. You will know agony like no other. You sacrifice yourself to return what you do not own, and will never own. This world isn’t yours and yet you insist on besmirching it. I declare, in full view of everyone, that I will hold you in this torment until Zeus returns.”

“Hestia, we can’t bow to this lowly creatures whims.” said Hera.

“It’s quite the opposite. He will bow to mine. I am the goddess of the hearth, the eldest of the twelve Olympians. I will maintain Olympus no matter who leaves, whether that be Zeus, or all of you.”

Roman and gods stood in a stiffened silence, all weighing the gravity of her words. He looked at Aphrodite and thought about his friends. He promised them he’d come back. He still planned to. But saving Willa from Zeus again was his priority. It had to be. Roman turned towards the throne and made eye contact with Hestia as he slowly sat down. The moment his behind touched the seat, his entire body went up in flames. It was so quick, so painful and jarring that he fell face first off the seat, clothes already becoming ash. His ears rung and his eyes bold but he could hear several of the gods laughing, as if his pain amused them. He’d been focused on Zeus the whole time he hadn’t bothered to think that all the other gods could be just like him.

Still a vampire, his body quickly began to heal. His heart was still beating after drinking Zeus’ blood, and he could tell because the sound of his heartbeat was pounding in his skull. His left arm healed way faster than the right, and he remembered he still had the blessing of Typhon.

I can survive this. I WILL survive this. Days, weeks, whatever it takes. Zeus will release her, and I will make sure she will be free from him, forever.

Roman got to his feet and sat back on the throne, his tenacity surprising the gods that mocked him. He could feel every ounce of his flesh melting off, but he refused to move again. Typhon’s power was helping a little, mimicking clothes to keep him concealed and trying to put out the inferno, but to no avail. Roman insides were just as bad as the outside but he couldn’t wasn’t stop now, not this time. Something in his throat melted and a sound he’d been hearing stopped. He realized he had been screaming the entire time. His hair was gone, chin, nose and lips, he was becoming nothing more than a skeleton sitting upright, but he didn’t care. As his eyes melted away, he noticed he could still see everything, it just looked like it was on fire. All twelve gods were indistinguishable fire blobs to him until one got closer and put her face near his.

“I’ll tell Caitlyn.” Aphrodite murmured to him. He nodded and she vanished, leaving the room in a pink mist unnoticeable to Roman. Another god walked up to Roman and whispered where his ear used to be.

“If you are this determined to save her, I hope you truly survive and find her.” said Hera. “I care for her like she’s my own.” Hera turned, avoiding everyone’s gaze as she transformed into a golden peacock and disappeared with a flash.

Some of the dark smoke flew into Roman’s mouth and down his throat. He coughed and somehow his voice was back. Looking at the fiery figure where Hades last stood he spoke to him.

“Tell Zeus that I’m waiting for him.”

Hades’ head burst into flame and he greeted Roman’s skullish smile with one of his own.

“I will.”