Vampire Greek: The Burning King
Chapter 26: Tartarus

“Do you need a hand?”

Roman woke up with a severe pain in his neck and a hand in his face. He looked up and saw a pale old man with a scraggly beard and milky white eyes. Roman would’ve assumed he was blind yet here he was, reaching out to him, clearly knowing where Roman was. Roman took his hand and he helped him up.

Roman noticed a murky pool of water behind the man and marched towards it. He didn’t care how dirty it was, he was thirsty.

“I think you might need help down here,” said the man, watching as Roman knelt down to drink.

“I’ll do fine on my own.”

Roman cupped his hands to drink but instantly spit the water out in disgust. It tasted like metal and dirt. It kind of reminded him of blood, and that sensation made him sick to his stomach. He took deep breaths and watched the ripples in the water disappear until only his reflection remained. Well, that, and something else. There appeared to be a huge black figure in the water, darker than the water already was. He didn’t fully noticed until it blinked and showed its teeth. Sharp and fanged, it’s incisors were as long as Roman’s head while the rest were very small. It’s eyes were large and beady wide and large. Roman recognized the creature, but it was too late. Before he can jump back the huge, bat-like monster vaulted out of the water and wrapped Roman in its wings, its claws scratching his neck. He screamed in horror but the monster flung him towards the jagged wall he woke up next to. He crashed into the wall while the old man stood idly by, watching the scene unfold.

“Would you like my help now?” The man said it, but he sounded different. He sounded younger, and he said it in a snarky way that irritated Roman. By the time Roman opened his eyes the creature had gone back into the water, with only ripples left behind to signal it’s presence.

“What was that?” Roman asked, looking up to the man. “And who are you?!”

He looked up at the face of a young guy instead of an old man. Blue eyed and beardless, this guy wore the same robes as the old man did, and they looked slightly similar, despite the age difference.

“Who are you,” he asked again, “And what happened to the old guy?”

“I am Janus, the god of beginnings, endings, time, duality and so much more.”

Roman gawked at him. “I’ve never heard of you in my life.”

Janus seemed disappointed. “Really? They didn’t speak of us in your schools?”

Roman scoffed. “No. If your name isn’t Emily Dickinson or Edgar Allen Poe I don’t know you.”

“That’s a shame, considering the predicament you’re in. You’ve been thrust into our world with no knowledge, I can’t imagine how it would feel to be alone and ignorant here.”

“Hold up man, I’ve seen Clash of the Titans twice, I know about Greek mythology.”

Janus smiled. “I am not from Greek mythology. I am a Roman god.”

“What’s the difference?”

The younger Janus seemed fed up at that point. He turned around and the old man began to speak again.

“You seem very keen on disrespecting gods. It appears to be in your very nature.”

“What’s your point?” said Roman, secretly pleased with himself.

“You can either stay here and be attacked by hordes of monsters for eternity, or you could join the living again, and exact your revenge on Zeus.”

“I could kill Zeus?!” Roman said incredulously.

Janus laughed. “Gods no. But you could fight him. You could win. You could shame him in front of all the other gods and make him look like a fool.”

“How do I do that?” Roman asked him. Tell me!”

“First, you need to leave this place. Alive. You need help from the inmates of Tartarus. With their power, you will have the strength to rival Zeus and eventually defeat him.”

“But how will I get out?”

“I will free you. I am also the god of doorways, passages and gates. After seeking the help of twelve prisoners of Tartarus, I will send you home so you can put your plan into action.”

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“This will be a very auspicious endeavor. If you aren’t up to the task, feel free to rot here.”

Janus turned to walk away and the younger Janus had a disapproving look on his face.

“I’ll do it, I’ll do anything! Just help me get out of here, please.” Roman fell to his knees and bowed.

“Wise choice. Let’s begin. Tartarus is a directionless place, You can travel in any direction and you may not find anything at all. I will open doorways to certain prisoners of Tartarus so you can seek their aid. Keep in mind that they are not all deities Some have powers of their own and some may just be mortals that felt the wrath of the gods. Abilities do not matter, if they side with you in spirit, you will have the power to face a god.” Janus pointed at the cliff and a huge section began to crumble, creating a large tunnel. Standing at the entrance Romain could hear rain and thunder, the sound bouncing off the caves and making the hair stand up on his arms.

“How do I get them to side with me?” Roman asked.

“Some may do it simply because of their hatred for Zeus, and others might require a service in return. Don’t make a promise you can’t keep, especially not on the Styx.”

Roman nodded. “Got it.”

He turned around but realized he had one more question.

“Who am I about to meet?”

“King of Elis, founder of Salmone in Pisatis. You are about to meet Salmoneus.”

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