Centaurian - Chapter 6
I wrote this story for Nifty, a nifty site if there ever was one. Nifty needs your donations to host this work, and some works, no doubt, that are far better. If you enjoy Nifty, please, consider donating at donate.nifty.org/donate.html
This work is the sole property of the author and may not be reprinted or reused without his written permission.
All Rights Reserved © 2022, Rick Haydn Horst
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.
Thank you for delving into this work; I hope you enjoy it.
Please send questions, comments, or complaints to Rick.Heathen@gmail.com. I would enjoy reading what you have to say.
Synopis: When an unusual man comes into the protection of Officer Liam Phillips, Liam doesn't know what he's in for. His world gets broadened and turned upside down in this adventure of love, sex, gods, a one-quarter equine, and a vacation he will never forget.
Centaurian, By Rick Haydn Horst
Chapter 6
Released by the gods from its disconcerting doldrum, the wind continued its characteristic oceanic breeze, and when the captain gave the order for the ship to return to cruising speed, it rode the swells of the relatively calm waters at a fuel-saving twenty-two knots.
Since the entire incident with Kratos took less than sixty minutes, it left a few hours before the next work shift. Those who had awakened from their slumber tried to rest a little longer before morning, hoping they had seen the last of the overnight events.
As Emma, William, and Ronan, mounted the staircase, Liam, who trailed behind them, noticed a change on Ronan's back and seemed alarmed by it. "Ah, Ronan...were you aware you have a new tattoo?" Liam tapped its location in the center of his back just below the one that read STALLION.
"I do? What is it?"
"It's some kind of symbol about three inches tall and a bit less in width."
Emma and William paused on the next floor before continuing upward, so she could have a look.
"It's your mark," she said. "I meant to tell you about it, but I hadn't realized you would use your powers so soon."
"I have my phone," said William pulling it from his pocket. "I'll take a photo and show you."
"What does it mean?" asked Liam.
She traced it with her finger. "It's the astrological symbol for Chiron fused to a backward `R' for Ronan," she said. "It marks upon his skin a visible sign of the permanent connection of Chiron to his former self. So, he could use it as a symbol for the name Ronan Stallion or for the Centaurian. William, dear, please send me a copy of that. I'll send it to Caleius for inclusion on Ronan's future clothing."
"It is an attractive design," said Ronan studying the image on the screen, "but I happen to know that someone invented this astrological symbol for Chiron in the twentieth century for a newly discovered orbiting body."
"That doesn't matter," she said. "It's just symbolic. If people refused to use a symbol due to its recent invention, no symbol would ever become old."
"This was your idea, wasn't it?" he asked her.
"Prometheus decided long ago using the power would result in a mark, but nothing distasteful, of course. Since I stay `au courant' [conversant] with life on Earth, its appearance and location he left to me. I put a lot of thought into it and considered assorted designs over the years, but I settled on this one due to the name of the orbiting body, and just as with you, it has a hybrid nature. Do you disapprove?"
Ronan shook his head. "I like it; it makes a great tattoo. While you're at it, let Caleius know that my Centaurian shirts need to leave my back unobstructed for my wings." He gazed upon Liam. "Regardless of my angelic appearance, I will use those when necessary."
"I can't say I blame you," he said. "They're too awesome to forgo. But now that you've used your power, why don't you just manifest your own clothing from now on?"
"I'm sure I could, but I'm not a designer. I would need a pattern to copy."
When Liam noticed Emma studying his eyes, he opened them wide to give her a better view.
"You must be absorbing Ambrosia in quantities that no one ever has," she said. "The gods are lucky to get a few glasses on Olympus. So, if you made a guess, how much do you think you're getting?"
Liam shrugged a little. "Two liters, maybe."
"Every day?" asked Emma.
"No, every time. So, six or seven liters a day, probably."
She gasped. "Oh, sweetie, I don't know what that will do to you."
"That's a lot of anything to put into your body," said William.
"It won't kill him," said Ronan.
"Well...no, it won't do that," she admitted.
"So far," said Liam, "it seems to make me leaner, more muscular, tan, and green-eyed." He shrugged. "Let's see what else it will do."
"Very well," she said, "that's up to you, but just know you've entered unknown territory."
They parted ways, and upon entry of their cabin, Ronan headed straight to the sink, not that he had an overly fastidious nature, but he had touched that foul-smelling god and wanted to remove any residue. As he stood there washing his hands of Kratos, he gazed into the mirror at himself and asked how he felt about having---in all honesty---executed him. He questioned whether he had made the right choice, but he hoped that having the knowledge of his ability to destroy a god would deter Zeus from further action, but he wasn't the sort to give up, and Ronan had a much greater vulnerability than his lack of buoyancy.
Liam had removed his clothing and kissed him the moment he emerged from the bathroom. Ronan held him in his arms, appreciating his ability to save himself from a long sojourn away from Liam at the bottom of the ocean.
Straddling Ronan's body on the bed, the head of Liam's cock lay on Ronan's lips. He kissed it repeatedly. Liam bent down kissing Ronan who moved back and forth between kissing Liam's lips and the head of his cock.
"I like you this big," said Ronan. "If it were up to you, you'd have me leaving three trails in the sand, wouldn't you?"
Ronan's brows rose in interest. "At least three!"
"Oh, at least!" Liam laughed. "And preferably more, right?"
"Uh-huh." Ronan smiled, pulled Liam's face to his, and kissed him. "You never have to say it back to me, but I meant what I said to you earlier on the bridge. I do love you."
"I know. Would you really not want to hear me say it back?"
"A lot of people feel an expectation of having to say it in return when told they are loved. I know you prefer to avoid mushiness, so you never have to say it. To me, your actions practically yell it from the mountaintops."
Liam kissed him for several minutes and felt the heat on his back from Ronan's erect Centaurian appendage. Once they had begun having regular sex, it always leaked a stream of slippery precum when erect, making entry into Liam's body smooth and pleasurable.
They moved to Ronan's favorite position with Liam lying on his back, Ronan deep inside him, and Liam's cock in his mouth. He rubbed the head on Liam's hole, which had become nothing more than a port of entry to give Liam orgasms and fill him with Ambrosia.
The soft-coated steel bar of Ronan's cock began its long slide into Liam's interior world, a place to bond in waves of mutual pleasure. He fucked inch after inch deep inside Liam, giving him exactly what he needed, that stretched and full sensation.
Liam ran his hands over Ronan's impossibly muscular body, and he marveled over how it flexed as he thrust into him. He knew, if he wanted, Ronan could fuck him continually for a hundred years---one orgasm after another---and not make a dent on the sustained pleasure his body was capable of supplying. In all the universe, no one else like Ronan existed and his love came with a privilege that only he would ever know.
One inch. They had reached that last inch his body had trouble accepting, defying his wishes with its stubborn refusal to allow entry. Ronan never complained, but Liam wanted it all, so he could get that rough pelvis-to-ass banging he so often needed. The continuous pistoning, the thrust and pull of cock went on for fifteen minutes. Ronan lifted Liam's cock and bent to stuff the head into his mouth. Liam's would need to be even longer if Ronan were to perform that maneuver with greater ease, but the simultaneous suck and fuck had him on the verge of orgasm. He jacked his monstrosity into his lover's mouth and when he came, Ronan began to fill him. He allowed himself to savor the pleasurable waves of paroxysmal spasms that accompanied every jet of Ambrosia filling Liam's body. It went on and on, and Liam loved to watch him knowing he helped make it happen, and he could feel every surge of the magical liquid like the mild quake of a gasoline pump, filling Liam's tank with Ronan's nozzle deep inside him.
Lost in the sensation, Ronan kept slowly fucking a few inches in and out of Liam as he filled him, and when their usual stopping point---the fifteen-minute mark---came and went, it continued. Curious to know how long an orgasm Ronan could sustain, and how much Ambrosia he could hold, Liam allowed it. He had already reached the point of saturation and adding more had begun to supersaturate every cell in his body. When the twenty-minute mark came, and his belly felt like a balloon, he began to feel strange.
"Ronan," he said placing his hand on Ronan's chest, "you need to stop."
His eyes opened. "Okay." He laid his hand on Liam's belly. "Wow. How do you feel?"
"As content as a kitten with a belly full of cream. Don't pull out. May I sleep on you a bit before morning?"
"Of course." He pulled Liam to him and kissed him. He held him in place as he laid upon the bed with his sleepy man atop him fully impaled on his long nozzle.
As Liam slept, Ronan thought about what had happened with Kratos. As per his information, if Prometheus foresaw him dethroning Zeus and had kept vital information from him---or whatever may be the case---if necessary, he knew he would forgive him anything for bringing Liam into his life. There were things beyond price, especially the love of a good man.
In the darkness, Ronan concentrated and sensed the swirling imagery that accompanied his connection to Prometheus. The minutes slipped away, but he never had to ask his question, and he barely had time for an answer; morning would soon arrive.
"I know what you will ask, my son," he told Ronan. "The answer is not a simple yes or no. Have I seen you dethrone Zeus? The answer is yes, but I have told no one of this. What you have experienced, is someone manipulating both you and the future by lying in the present. Their lie has created a chain reaction that will result in Zeus's removal from the throne because he will give you no real choice but to remove him. I'm uncertain who has started this lie, but know this, having told it, doesn't necessarily make them your enemy. There are mitigating circumstances."
A knock came upon their cabin door which disrupted Ronan's conversation with Prometheus. The captain had requested that his three passengers join him and the first mate in the meeting room just before breakfast.
Liam led the way, and with his body having absorbed the Ambrosia, he appeared slightly taller and more muscular than before. Emma followed him, then William, and Ronan came last, dressed in shorts and a tank top identical to the ones he wore the previous day, with CENTAURIAN stitched across the chest. They found the meeting room, a bland space located on the third floor with a table at the far end with several chairs surrounding it. Apart from that, the room contained a lot of empty space for the many folded chairs held in a rack against the back wall for the crew to use in a congregational fashion.
At the table sat their hosts with a laptop. Their expressionless faces foretold the serious nature of the gathering, although the specifics remained unclear as the passengers and William seated themselves.
"We have a question," said the captain. "As you know, the company equipped the ship with several CCTV cameras, and it caught on camera the altercation between Herr Stallion and Kratos. So, we have something for you to see."
"The ship's computer stores the video feeds and uploads them via our satellite link to the company's server," said Paul. "I transferred this to the laptop after I saw it." He played the file for them, which included an audio track.
The video began just before Kratos arrived, and when he did, he walked forward, fading into existence where he stood waiting. It recorded the words he yelled to the bridge, Ronan joining him atop the containers, and everything said between them. Then Ronan, with his face to the sky, shouted to Zeus, but the moment the two men ran toward one another, three men faded into view at the lower end of the image and watched the scene with great interest.
Liam leaned in for a closer look. The video cut to a different camera angle with a closer shot of the men as they stood near the superstructure. "Is that who I think that is?"
Paul touched the space bar on the laptop to pause the video with the image of the men.
"That is our question," said the captain.
The three of them had perfectly built, muscular bodies---as befitting gods---dark hair with a beard, and none of them looked older than thirty-five years old. One stood naked holding a trident; one wore only a pair of what looked like black jeans and held a bident; the third one wore a pair of white pull-on linen pants carrying a single-pointed staff.
Emma nodded. "They are exactly who you think they are."
"Kratos had me so busy," said Ronan, "I hadn't noticed them."
"Let's see the rest," said Liam.
Paul increased the volume of the laptop and continued the video. Ronan dodged all that Kratos gave him, and they spoke only a moment. Rapidly, Ronan had Kratos immobilized and jumped with him into the sky. On the camera with the better view, the three men watched with their heads tipped back, and a few moments later, a bright blue flash lit the sky and illuminated the ship and the water around them.
The three men began speaking a language only Emma and Ronan could understand, so Emma translated for them.
Poseidon turned to Zeus. "What am I supposed to see, brother?"
"That abomination can destroy a god," said Zeus.
Hades shrugged. "So what. Good for him."
"That abomination, as you call him," said Poseidon, "is our brother."
"He's no brother of mine," said Zeus.
"He is half Chiron," said Hades, "so he's our brother whether you like it or not."
"He tricked me into setting Prometheus free. Chiron is supposed to be dead."
"You called me away from my millennium marathon of coitus with Persephone for some vendetta, is that it?"
"You saw how dangerous he is," said Zeus. "He will dethrone me; the word is that Prometheus has seen it."
"Prometheus has remained in hiding since he created the first Stallion," said Poseidon. "He knew you would punish him after saving Chiron. So, you don't know the source of that rumor."
"I only saw that foolish prick, Kratos," said Hades, "pick a fight with the most powerful kid on the playground---who was just minding his own damn business, might I add---and he paid for it with his life. Those who poke their finger into the eye of a scorpion should expect to get stung. I don't blame the Centaurian for his actions (I wouldn't put up with Kratos's behavior either), but since you instigated it, Zeus, I do blame you. This is the second one of us you've destroyed in your feeble attempt to kill the Centaurian. He made his point clearly; if you leave HIM alone, he will leave YOU alone, a sentiment upon which I wholeheartedly subscribe." Hades shook his head emphatically. "I will not help you with a problem of your own making." He stepped away and faded into nothingness.
"Nor will I," said Poseidon. "Hades is correct, entirely, and I have been approached twice; the others have concerns over your growing paranoia. Perhaps, it's time you retired."
"I will not," said Zeus, incensed over the idea.
"Over the ages," said Poseidon, "none of the Stallions have ever shown malice. Generally, we have left them alone, and they have left us alone. Incidentally, why did you ensure Aquila's birth?"
"I wanted future leverage," said Zeus, "in case it proved necessary."
"Oh, yes, of course." Poseidon rolled his eyes a little. "I suppose, I should expect nothing better of you, but the Centaurian has more power than you've realized---likely greater than your own. If you push him, he has the power and the will to defend both himself and others, but he doesn't want your throne."
"No, he doesn't want it; I think Prometheus does, and he will use the Centaurian to get it."
"If he should dethrone you, I can only hope he will show you more mercy than he just showed to Kratos. Let it go, brother." Poseidon heard the people leaving the superstructure, saying no more, he stepped away and vanished. Likewise, Zeus walked forward and disappeared as well.
Paul paused the video.
Liam turned to Ronan. "Why is Zeus so down on you?"
"Zeus never liked Chiron."
"Really?" asked Emma. "I never knew that."
"The evidence had lain before everyone to see. Chiron was immortal, so when Heracles accidentally struck him with the poison arrow, rather than dying, he would have lived a life of suffering, so he asked Zeus to trade his immortality in exchange for letting Prometheus go. Zeus should have released Prometheus long before then, but he never would, so this begs the question, why would Zeus consider Chiron giving up his immortality a sufficient price for letting Prometheus go? What sort of trade is that? Had no one ever asked that question?"
Emma thought about it for a moment and shook her head. "I hadn't thought about it before, but...now that you mention it."
Ronan continued, "Chiron was viewed mostly as a teacher, a tutor, and a healer. And while the gods could appreciate his abilities along those lines, Zeus never considered him his half-brother, and although Chiron was a demigod, no one treated him as such. He was an outlier, an oddity. Chiron knew how Zeus felt, but others felt kindlier toward him, and he was useful, so Zeus tolerated his existence.
"If Zeus had denied Chiron's request, no matter how agonizing, he would have remained. But Chiron never liked the way Zeus continually punished Prometheus, so he offered to give Zeus what he really wanted---Chiron's absence---in exchange for letting Prometheus go. Zeus agreed to his proposal, putting on a show of taking pity on Chiron for his suffering, and as a consolation, he gave Chiron a celestial equivalent to a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame with the constellation Centaurus. Some people like to say that Zeus placed them among the stars, but they're not actually there, are they? It's just representative. To my mind, it's no better than some company giving a retiring employee their name on the company plaque---which hangs on the wall of some obscure hallway---and a gold watch before shoving them out the door."
Emma laughed to herself and placed her hand on Ronan's. "That sounds like your humanity giving Chiron the voice he apparently couldn't find at the time. I'm so pleased that he lives on within you. I had no idea about any of that."
"Herr Stallion," said the captain, "as the one ultimately responsible for this vessel and crew, I must ask. Has not the video indicated that we are in danger?"
"That's a probability," said Ronan. "I offer you my apologies, captain. Would you prefer that we left the ship?"
"Wouldn't that leave us vulnerable?" he asked.
Ronan closed his eyes and tipped his head. "Maybe, but we must leave when we reach Genoa."
"Might Zeus sink the ship before we get there?" asked William.
"Don't give him any ideas," said Paul.
"Guaranteed, he has already thought of it," said Emma, "and he might try."
"What would that get him?" asked Liam.
"Apart from making me furious?" asked Ronan. "I don't know." He turned to Emma. "Have you the ability to transport anyone?"
She shook her head. "I don't have that kind of power. I can move myself and relatively small inanimate objects, but not anything as complex as a person and nothing large. You probably can, however. That, and a lot more."
"I have little doubt that I can play the piano," said Ronan, "but that wouldn't mean that I know how."
"How did you know how to use the eternal flame to destroy Kratos?" asked Liam.
"The same way you know how to digest food."
"I don't know how to digest food; it's just something my body does."
"Exactly. I've only used my mostly internalized abilities, those aren't much different than taking an intentional breath or flexing a muscle but manifesting something external from myself or instantaneously transporting something from one place to another, especially over a great distance is something else entirely. I feel the power within me to do that and more, but I don't know how it works."
"It's not much different," said Emma. "I could probably guide you a bit on how to teleport. I wish I could show you how to manifest externally, but I wouldn't know where to begin. It's something you will have to figure out on your own. I will say this, however, once you've done one thing, you'll quickly get the idea how it works, and the rest will come naturally."
"That's good to know." Ronan turned to the captain. "If Zeus should try to sink the ship, at the moment, I don't know what I can do to stop him."
He remembered what Prometheus told him and a thought occurred to him. He rewatched the video of the brothers, and although difficult to discern with clarity, he observed them closely. Zeus and Hades never turned fully toward the CCTV camera on the wall, but at one point, Poseidon looked directly into its lens, and he seemed undeterred. "Perhaps, it's time you retired," he had said to Zeus.
"There's someone I need to speak to," said Ronan.
"Who?" asked Liam.
"I don't want to say just yet."
"Should I come with you?" he asked.
"I wish you could, but I think him more prone to show himself and speak candidly if I were alone."
Poseidon, the god of the oceans and seas, earth-shaker, storm-maker, horse-pater, and middle brother to the major Olympians was not the god he used to be, but few of them were, anymore. Humanity's abandonment of them proved the best thing that could have happened to both humankind and the gods. The gods, like the attention whores they were, had convinced humanity that it needed them, but that could never have been true, any more than a slave could really need their master, when the master, apparently, could do nothing for themselves. Masters and gods become spoiled at great cost to the ones spoiling them---whether that spoiling occurs by force or by choice. Humanity lavished the gods with the attention they craved and felt entitled to receive, in the form of worship, sacrifices, and adoration. The supplication of the masses teeming with valid needs; however, the gods had fulfilled on divine whims at no greater frequency than coincidence. One only puts up with negative returns on earnest efforts for so long before the inevitable questioning occurs, followed by a well-deserved desertion.
Most of the gods found their abandonment a humiliating and humbling experience. Their golden age had come and gone, and with it, their perceived importance, along with all that lovely attention used to bolster their massive egos. In its absence, many of them became more introspective and searched for a way to find some purpose for their existence. Others---usually lesser gods---lived in denial that anything had changed or had the grace to diminish in a divine melancholia from which they seldom ever resurfaced, if at all.
Ronan could see the first traces of the sun peaking above the horizon as he made his way toward the forecastle to call to Poseidon. Upon reaching the forwardmost point of the ship in silence, he found Poseidon leaning naked against the foremast enjoying the sunrise with his eyes closed. Within reach, his glowing golden triton defied gravity in its unsupported vertical position upon the deck.
Ronan hadn't immediately made his presence known; he simply studied Poseidon's hairy and tan body for a moment. Droplets of water traced the lines of his impressive musculature. It visibly dripped from his hair, short beard, elbows, and generously sized genitals as it puddled around his feet, discoloring the metal deck plating beneath him. He ran his fingers through his tousled heartthrob hairstyle to keep it from his face and crossed his arms. His overall appearance characterized a modern notion of masculine handsomeness, rivaled only by Ronan himself. He sensed Poseidon's mystique and could understand why he had had so many lovers of both sexes.
He opened his eyes and turned his head to gaze upon Ronan. "Have I met with your approval?"
"You are far more handsome and different than I had imagined, you have body hair, and your penis is certainly larger than I expected; so much classical art tends to depict your body as hairless, and when they bother to show your penis at all, it tends toward the diminutive. You don't mind that I took a moment to admire you?"
"I've always been this size. The minuscule genitals in artworks are nothing more than popular sculptors and painters placating some ridiculous cultural notion of intellectualism, and when they have me draped in cloth, it's to avoid encouraging pruriency among the viewing public."
"If they ever depicted you as you actually are," said Ronan, "they would have plenty of pruriency among the viewing public. I found myself with a few prurient thoughts myself."
Poseidon smiled. "Thank you. That means a lot to me coming from you. You'll find that I am always naked. For the god of the ocean to wear clothing makes about as much sense as a man wearing an overcoat in the shower. I will admit, though, the body hair is new, it seems you've started a trend among the gods. So no, I don't mind if you admired me; it only seems fair; I've admired you since you met Henri Estalon, but I must say, you have excellent taste in your appearance. I much prefer you this way, although you look even better without the clothes."
"Knowing your blatant disregard for keeping a familial distance," said Ronan, "I figured being one-quarter your brother wouldn't stop any flirtations, but I must ask, `Aren't I a little old for you?'"
"Damn those ancient Hellenes and their proclivities. They merely ascribed to the gods what they would have done, but I assure you, speaking for myself, all my lovers were adults. Granted, one might even view a twenty-year-old as a child compared to someone thousands of years old, but still, the legal authorities of the age would consider them legal adults today; so, no, you're not too old. As for the rest of you, the eternal flame has you far removed from your biological origins, and mentally you're three-quarters not my brother. Besides, I have an appreciation for horses. I've been a stallion many times, and had several equine children, two of whom were particularly famous."
"That all sounds strange to me."
He shrugged a little. "Meh...the life of a god." He held out his hand to shake. "I believe you have the custom for this form of greeting."
Ronan stepped up and shook his hand.
"It's nice to finally meet you," said Poseidon.
"And not merely spy on me?"
"I spied in the most appreciative and respectful way possible."
"Oh, then you left when Liam and I had sex."
"Well, no, of course not."
Ronan's brows rose in surprise. "Would you watch and masturbate like some peeping-tom?"
"Oh, don't make it sound so sordid."
"So, you did masturbate while we had sex? How is that respectful?"
"It's of the highest respect. One, I had never before had the compulsion, and two, I'm a god; what greater compliments do you need?"
Ronan thought about it for a moment and realized they came from entirely two different perspectives and decided not to press the point. "Oh, well, in that case, thank you for bestowing the honor upon us."
"It was entirely my pleasure," he said.
"Yes, I dare say it was," said Ronan.
"I believe we have something to discuss," said Poseidon, "shall we get on with it?"
"Would we not attract the attention of our paranoia-prone brother?"
Poseidon pointed to his trident. "I have us isolated from the outside world. We are neither seen nor overheard."
"So, you can do that. As I suspected, you wanted the CCTV camera to see the three of you."
He nodded. "You needed to see it firsthand. I even stopped the wind to improve the sound quality. I hoped you would want to speak to me."
"But why now? Why not just come to me from the start?"
"I hadn't wanted to interfere with you and Liam; you need one another. This little experiment of Prometheus has proven pure genius, but it has succeeded because I helped you; I helped all the Stallions over the years, especially during their crucial transition period. You're rather vulnerable just then, and I've held everyone at bay who might have caused any of you harm, and as for you, I paved the way from the island where Liam found you to the hospital and all the way into his apartment, so he would have as little difficulty as possible. I have done all this because the gods are people too, and as someone who has vowed to help others, we need you."
"You started the rumor because you want me to dethrone Zeus."
"No, Athena started the rumor," he said, "but we don't WANT you to dethrone Zeus, we NEED you to, and as the Temptations would say, `I ain't too proud to beg,' if you should insist."
"You, Poseidon, would beg. You really are desperate. Has Zeus gotten that bad?"
He took a deep breath and gave an awkward little laugh. "Firstly, I want you to know that I loathe speaking ill of our brother; I honestly wish I had no call to. Many of us were wilder in our younger years, doing terrible things we shouldn't have, but the passage of time has tempered us---the changes on Earth have affected the gods too---but while most of us have matured to varying degrees, for some, maturity isn't enough. Based on a fully developed concept of evil, some gods are evil by their nature, and some, like Zeus, come to be that way. You haven't access to all of Chiron's memories, have you?"
"No, I think a lot is missing."
"Zeus is the reason we won the Titanomachy, the war against the Titans. He saved us from the belly of our beast of a father, he led the rebellion, and then came ten years of war. The written descriptions of the war, as bad as they sound, invariably gloss over the true horrors of it. When humans wage war, it results in deaths, and as such, it deprives the enemy of soldiers. The war of the gods included many mortal beings that fought alongside the gods of their loyalty. Their enemies had slain most of the mortals, but since gods don't die, and none could destroy us, how could the gods wage war against one another? We get creative. To make someone give up, pain, torture, and confinement are pretty much our only options, and Zeus proved himself rather clever at it. Some of his punishments since the war reflect what he had learned. He had Prometheus chained to a rock, where he endured a never-ending cycle of an eagle tearing open his body to eat his liver every day, only for it to grow back every night. The war taught him that cruelty and malevolence would get him what he wants, and it desensitized him to the suffering of others. As a result, Zeus is not good, so he is not a good king, never was, never will be. He is a malevolent tyrant, and his occasional displays of compassion and mercy are nothing more than an attractive veneer intended to impress."
"Couldn't all of you ban together and remove him?"
"Apparently, you don't remember, but ages ago, Hera, Athena, and Apollo sought my help to end Zeus's tyranny. At first, I refused them, but they convinced me to go along with it. However, it would never have succeeded.
"What happened?"
"Zeus overpowered us. As punishment for our attempt to overthrow him, Zeus tortured Hera. He used golden chains to hang her by her hands from the sky with anvils attached to her feet and forced her to stare into the abyss; it almost drove her mad. As his favorite child, he never punished Athena, but---for a while---he stripped Apollo and me of our powers and sent us to serve that con man, King Laomedon for wages. He tricked me into building the walls of Troy by refusing payment."
"So, a scoundrel of the first water."
"A multifaceted and highly polished scoundrel. I learned he did it frequently and once too often. After all that work, I was so angry with the king, I sicced a sea monster on him, which of course, would have destroyed the city and the creature would have eaten all who crossed his path. Some fake oracle told them they could only appease the monster by the king sacrificing his daughter to it. They often believed such nonsense back then, and it wasn't true. She would just be an appetizer for the meal to come. Heracles, who happened to be in the vicinity, offered to kill it for a price and save the princess. Laomedon agreed to the price, so Heracles killed the monster, but the king reneged on that deal too. Afterward, Heracles, with the help of a squadron of warriors, promptly killed him for it."
"Well, if Zeus can take away your powers," said Ronan, "what makes you think I can dethrone him then?"
He stood straight and made a sexy rake of his fingers through his drying hair. "What I will tell you, you must keep to yourself."
"Okay," he said, "you have my word."
"Do you know what an eternal flame actually is?" asked Poseidon.
Ronan shrugged a little. "Enchanted fire?"
"Not even close." He shook his head. "Energy is neither created nor destroyed, so even an eternal flame must have a continuous source. The flame is a remnant from the formation of our universe. It's a tiny permanent leak from the failed universe adjacent to ours from where Chaos broke free to create our universe.
"The one there is filled with nothing but a nearly inexhaustible amount of creative energy that, for some reason, never expanded, but when it leaks into the space of this already formed universe, it appears intensely bright and produces heat, so we perceive it as a kind of fire, but it's just pure creative energy with nothing to do."
"And I can tap into that leak."
"Yes," he said. "It's inside of you. It constantly creates what you are through your will. It's why you're entirely self-sustaining. However, there's more to it than that."
"And that is..."
"On our own, none of the gods were ever fully immortal. That was a presumption from our having an extremely long lifespan."
"How can that be?"
"Because, at birth, our parents imbued us with a finite amount of that same creative energy, and over our considerable lifetimes, we deplete it. I couldn't say how long we would live with no external input---it could be a million years. However, Ambrosia is a transmuted form of that same creative energy. We all drink Ambrosia, so we keep adding energy to our reserves, extending our lives and our ability to maintain our powers at their peak level."
"I see. Speaking of that, why do I have Ambrosia for cum? Surely, that's not where Ambrosia comes from. Where the other Stallions just the same?"
"I have no knowledge of the origins of Ambrosia. I have come to think that we might find a hint in the fountain of youth story. But you must remember that Henri had a son, so he couldn't have produced Ambrosia. I suspect that Zeus had less to do with the creation of Aquila than it sounds or as much as he prefers to take credit. Zeus often takes full or partial credit for things in which he was not involved. He likes to claim credit for instigating the creation of humanity, but regardless of the stories told about it, he had nothing to do with it. He saw Prometheus' genius and wanted a share of the accolades. And as Aletheia is the personification of truth, Zeus likes to claim her as his daughter, but she isn't. I could go on and on about that topic. On Henri's own---with just any woman---he could never have had a child. So, what I think Zeus did was bring Henri's ideal woman into his path and he into her's. It occurred the way Prometheus brought you and Liam together. I think both you and Henri gave the one you love---and to whom you have a special connection---exactly what they wanted. Henri's wife wanted to have his child so badly, he subconsciously manifested what he needed to make that happen."
Ronan remembered. "Liam expressed a concern about growing old, burdening me, and a fear that I would leave him if he wasn't handsome anymore."
"So, you subconsciously manifested Ambrosia to solve the problem," said Poseidon.
"If it is the same energy that gives the gods their power, then that would mean-"
"Your Ambrosia has charged Liam with so much creative energy that, if things continue---at some point---he could achieve godhood."
"Okay," said Ronan, "THAT I will need to discuss with Liam."
Poseidon nodded. "Agreed."
"So, how do you know all this?"
"Athena, the goddess of wisdom and knowledge, would only discuss her dangerous insights with a rare few and in secret. We have discussed various points on the nature of our power and how it relates to you. Here's why you can dethrone Zeus. You are the creative energy in its purest form, and through the leak, you receive a continuous supply of it. A god's powers emanate from the same energy but it's several steps removed in purity from yours, we can't hold as much as you do, and we can deplete ours."
"But I don't know how to wield it," said Ronan.
"Like all the rest of us, you can learn, and it's deceptively simple. I suspect you would find little impossible for you; the problem would come from your inability to effectively utilize your imagination and see beyond your perceived limitations."
"So, imagination is important?"
"It's all-important. You cannot manifest what you cannot conceive."
"I see. So, why hasn't Zeus tried to take away my power as he did yours?"
"I suspect he tried that first, and his failure has caused him to fear you, and the ease in which you destroyed Kratos has him worried. He was the strongest, and not even Zeus can generate the heat necessary to vaporize a god and convert their energy. A god's destruction results in an instantaneous conversion of all their energy into an unstable form which is the source of the explosion, or so Athena says. The more powerful the god, the larger the explosion. Destroying Kratos required power beyond the ability of any god that I know. I couldn't speak to how far your abilities go. None of us are truly omnipotent, but you may be the closest to reach it."
"The idea of having that kind of power scares me," said Ronan.
"Good," said Poseidon. "It would worry me if it didn't, but you asked me if Zeus had gotten that bad. You've no need to just take my word for it. Unlike with Zeus, you're welcome to question my veracity anytime you like. That's something I've learned from Aletheia. If I'm honest, the truth will stand on its own. So, believe your own eyes. Zeus refused to stop you from destroying Kratos just to see if you could. He threw his life away, so yes, he is that bad."
"I destroyed him without remorse," said Ronan, "so what does that make me?"
"Kratos was a rabid tiger and the strong arm of Zeus's tyranny. You gave both Zeus and him an opportunity. You even told them what you would do if they wouldn't back off. Those are not the actions of someone who is without kindness, understanding, patience, or control. You destroyed him to protect people. You did what you did because you care about others, but Zeus and Kratos did what they did because they only care about themselves, and therein lies the difference. You question yourself, Ronan, because you are good; the people who aren't, wouldn't bother."
Ronan thought about that for a moment. "He never even called out to Zeus."
"Kratos would have viewed that as weakness," said Poseidon. "He swore long ago that, if need be, he would die in Zeus's service, but in full disclosure, he only swore that because Zeus insisted."
"That's terrible," said Ronan. "I couldn't imagine myself wanting anyone to do such a thing."
"I know you don't want the throne," he said, "but you would make a wonderful king."
"Speaking of that, if Zeus is deposed, who would take the throne?"
"If you dethroned him, then it would be you, but your power would be so immense that you would have the authority to appoint a ruler if you chose. I just ask that you not appoint me. I don't want it."
"Can I count on you?" he asked Poseidon.
"Once you have deposed Zeus, you will have my full and open support. Until then, I will help you as best I can, but I cannot allow Zeus to see me openly helping you. I hate to think what he would do to me if he knew."
"In whatever way you can help without jeopardizing your own welfare is all I would ever ask. Who can I trust?"
"You can trust Prometheus, Dolos, Athena, Aletheia, and me. Other than we few, I couldn't say, undoubtedly, you can trust more than those you can't, but this isn't a topic open for discussion among the gods; we have no intellectual freedom. To act as if we do would make us the target of Zeus's cruelty."
"Olympus sounds like hell."
"Under a powerful malevolent tyrant, Olympus IS a beautiful hell."
"What would the gods prefer?"
"We must have a strong ruler, someone to answer to. The problem with Zeus is not that he's a powerful monarch who punishes unruly behavior. We need a powerful ruler willing to punish. The problem is that, among all the gods, he's the one with no form of oversight. He has no one to answer to, and that has turned him into a biased, capricious, unreasonable, and malevolent tyrant who wields his power unevenly, unjustly, and with cruelty. Those are the things that no one wants."
"Okay. I'll keep that in mind. Let's take this one thing at a time for now. Do you think Zeus will try to sink the ship?"
"Kratos pointed out your fondness for the humans. I suspect he knew that from Zeus. He attempted to use it to get to you, Zeus may try that too, except with deadlier consequences. He could try to sink the ship and far-"---he tipped his head, listening for a moment---"Do you hear that?"
"Vaguely."
"Zeus is also likely to send someone else after you. There are gods more dangerous than Kratos, and one is coming. I must go." He grabbed his trident and vanished as he hurried away.
At first, it started with a simple rhythmic beat of the air. Whoosh... Whoosh... Whoosh... With time, it gained volume, but Ronan couldn't discern its direction. With room to maneuver on the forecastle, he jumped atop the shipping containers behind him. He wheeled around, listening. The sound came from the direction of the sun. The moment Ronan saw the dark-winged figure, he removed his shirt and manifested his giant white wings. He glanced atop the superstructure to the ship's bridge. He knew they watched, but the exterior had too much light to see anyone inside.
When the winged god landed forty feet from him, Chiron's memories helped to recognize the being as Thanatos, the personification of death. The ageless and eternal entity rarely showed himself. He appeared as a young man, perhaps eighteen years old at most, with a thick mop of dark hair atop his head. He stood naked with his head held high, his wings extended, and his lithe hairless body in a guarded stance, his hands on his hips.
"Hello, Centaurian," he said.
"Hello, Death. Taken a holiday, have you? Or like Kratos, has Zeus sent you?"
"He asked me to look you over. He even asked me to take you if I could, but I don't do those sorts of requests; I am Death, I have no loyalties, not even to Zeus. However, since I wanted to meet you anyway, I told him I would come and do what I could."
"...making no promises," said Ronan, "that's smart. If you just want to meet me, why don't you come in for a cup of coffee and some apple cinnamon strudel?"
"Are you actually inviting Death to dine with you?"
"Well," said Ronan, "I don't eat regular food, so you would dine while I kept you company."
"It's not that sort of visit."
"Oh, I see. So, you're not really here to meet little ol' me then. How disappointing."
"We must discuss Kratos. He didn't die, you destroyed him and denied me my due. Having done so, you are intruding upon my territory."
"Aquila destroyed Kakia, have you already given HIM this speech?"
"Kakia used the Chronosian blade in the senseless destruction of a mortal beloved by Eros, and in turn, Aquila destroyed her for it. Eros has asked me to consider it justice served, and that I would do. Besides, he no longer has the blade, and despite his status, one day he could be mine. You can still destroy gods, and now---having stood in your presence---I sense you permanently beyond my reach; you are not really alive in the traditional sense and therefore incapable of dying."
"That's right. You can never have me, but I could destroy you, and do you know what? I really hate that it boils down to a question of a god getting their way---whether I like it or not---or me having to destroy them, just so they would leave me alone. None of you can have me under your thumb; I won't tolerate it."
"If you should destroy me," said Death, "no one would die ever again, and that would be dangerous."
Ronan shook his head. "No, I'm not falling for it. Kratos was the divine personification of strength. He's gone, and I can assure you that strength still exists. Your mother is Nyx, the personification of night. If she didn't exist, would the sun suddenly begin shining on the entire planet simultaneously, or would half always remain in shadow? So, death exists independent of you. Do you know why humans stopped believing in the gods? Because they realized you weren't necessary, and yet, here you are...superfluous...redundant...expendable even. No doubt, you have power, but you're not invulnerable to me."
"That remains to be seen," said Death, "but you're not completely invulnerable to me either, so I suggest we come to an arrangement."
"What sort of arrangement?"
"I ask that you leave me to my job and refrain from destroying any more gods. In exchange for that, I will avoid anyone you designate off-limits."
"I see three problems with that," said Ronan. "One, it implies that I would destroy gods for no valid reason like I'm stalking them for sport or something. Two, if gods would leave me alone and not make threats on my friends and loved ones, they've nothing to fear from me, so let's not pretend they have no choice. And three, my friends and loved ones are already off-limits, and I could view what you just said to me as a threat, so back off. I will destroy anyone who touches them, so no deal. If you feel the itch to tackle someone, come after me. You'll find me a challenge. Have you ever seen what bad kids do to butterflies? You wouldn't enjoy it. However, I will play just as fair with you as I had with Kratos. You are welcome to leave now in peace, but YOU will be responsible for what happens to you if you choose to stay. Give Zeus a message. I won't put up with his shit. He has two choices, he can either leave me, my loved ones, and friends alone, or he can lose his throne. The choice is his." Death began to beat his wings and took to the air, but just before he left, Ronan yelled to him, "And one last thing, Death, you visit me again at your peril."
Death faced Ronan in the sky as he moved away as if he feared turning his back on him. With Death in the distance, Ronan's wings burned away as he picked up his shirt and returned to the superstructure.
"I don't get it," he said. "If Zeus thinks that I will dethrone him, why does he keep poking me with a stick?"
He met his friends, including the captain and first mate on the bridge. The first mate called them there to watch as Ronan spoke to the winged man. Dolos---in the guise of Emma---immediately recognized his brother Thanatos and told the others who he was.
"All the other Stallions kept their head down," said Emma, "and in doing so, they appeared non-threatening. You've drawn attention to yourself. And now, in believing you mean to dethrone him, you have challenged his authority, but worse still, you've told him what he must do. If he complies, then he's not the King-of-the-Gods, you are."
"Ugh...that's absurd," said Liam.
She shrugged a little. "He does what he wants, not what he's told."
"I've told him to leave me alone," said Ronan. "He's mistaken if he thinks he has the right to harass anyone he wants just because he's Zeus."
"Herr Stallion," said Captain Stettler, and everyone turned his direction, "I've heard the concerns of several crew members after last night. It seems that some of the crew believe you present a danger. I have had time to think on it, and it has occurred to me that if Zeus would try to sink the ship, it would have a greater likelihood if you were aboard. It was bad enough to have Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, and Kratos here, but now we have had a visit by Death. I have never believed in omens, but it doesn't bode well. I think the time has come for you to leave the ship."
"Captain...," said William.
"No, William," he said, "I think it's best."
"I'm truly sorry it has gone this far, captain," said Ronan, "but I think your first instinct was the right one. I ask that you not allow our recent visitor to change your mind."
"You said if Zeus tried to sink the ship you weren't sure what you could do about it."
"Yes, captain, but if I'm not here, I can do nothing."
"That assumes he would bother in your absence," said Captain Stettler. "Now that you have access to more abilities, I need you to find a way off the ship and go. This isn't just about the ship, it's about the crew's livelihood. We need this vessel to complete its round. I will keep my word and donate to the children's charity. I'm sorry it must be this way, but it's settled. You should go as soon as you can accomplish it."
"I understand, captain." Ronan looked upon Liam, Emma, and William.
"Can you do that?" asked Liam.
"I better start learning how," he said and made to leave the bridge.
"I'll be there to help you as soon as I can," said Emma as he left.
With brows drawn in a severe angle, William broke his usual reserve, "Captain, I believe you misunderstand the depth of the problem. They are gods, and Zeus sounds irrational to me. To hurt Ronan, he could use any or all of us at any time. The distance from him won't make a difference.
"If we take our chances either way, then as captain, I think we should take our chances alone."
"This ship and its cargo can be replaced," said William, "our lives cannot."
"If Ronan can do it," said Emma, "we will take anyone who wants to reach land for safety."
"Encouraging people to abandon the ship in the middle of the voyage is tantamount to inciting mutiny," said the captain.
"I couldn't say that any of the crew is willing to go," said William, "but if Ronan leaves, I am not staying."
"You're the purser," said Paul, the first mate, "we need you."
"I am unwilling to take chances with my life. The captain has the legal right to make decisions for this ship; he doesn't have the legal right to make anyone stay. I have much respect for you captain, but this isn't the Deutsche Marine; it's just a job. I was looking for a job when I found this one; I can find another."
"What will we do without you?" asked the captain.
"That's up to you, captain, but if Ronan must leave, consider me resigned as purser of this ship."
"Do you think to give me an ultimatum?"
"No, I merely exercise my right to leave based on your decision."
"I will refuse to let you back me into a corner. I will fire you."
William shook his head. "You mistake me. I know that when you've made up your mind about something, you refuse to change it. Ronan was leaving no matter what, so you can't fire me, I've already resigned."
"You're making a mistake," said the captain to William.
He gave that a moment's thought. "If I leave and I'm wrong about the ship, good, I can live with being wrong, but I think your judgment in this matter is faulty."
Emma left to help Ronan, and on return to Emma's cabin, Liam and William met the attractive blond steward, Garit Bruckhauser, waiting outside the door wearing his white smock.
"Is something wrong?" asked Liam.
"I wanted to speak to William. I know that Otto and Kurt apologized to you this morning, and Frau Nordström returned them to normal. Gustav asked me to tell you that he intends to apologize, but his duties have kept him extremely busy this morning. I also wanted to tell her how much I appreciate her having cursed them."
"Why is that?" Liam asked.
"I have worked aboard this ship for three years, and Gustav knows I've had a serious crush on him, but he thought I only wanted his big dick, and don't get me wrong, I love it, but he now knows that isn't the only reason. We had talked before, but we have had in-depth discussions the last three days. Gustav said the words `I'm gay' aloud last night for the first time, and he admitted that when we complete a circuit and return to Hamburg, he misses me when we don't see one another on our off days. He also realizes what a jerk he has been."
"That's nice to hear," said William who began to pack. "If he wants to apologize to me in front of Emma, he needs to do it before our passengers leave today. I have resigned as purser, so I'm going with them. I'm unsure when. It depends on how quickly Ronan can do it; it could take just a few hours."
"Why have you quit?"
"Because when Thanatos showed up, the captain asked our friends to leave, and I think the ship could be in danger if Ronan isn't here. I have no guarantees of that, and admittedly, I could be entirely wrong, but we have only this one life, so I'm taking no chances. I'm leaving."
"Well, I've always had respect for your intelligence, if you think the chance of danger to the ship is enough to make YOU leave, then I'm not sure I want to stay."
"Emma said anyone who wishes to leave with us may do so," said Liam.
"Don't leave without me," he said, "I will talk to Gustav and pack a bag."
Emma found Ronan leaning against the railing overlooking the ocean on the main deck outside the port-side hatch. She joined him, and he hadn't acknowledged her presence before he started talking.
"Are you at all upset that I destroyed your cousin Kratos?"
"It wasn't personal," she said. "You hadn't destroyed him because he was my cousin, or because he was a god; although his being a god forced you to destroy him. He was a problem, and at the time, you hadn't used your abilities, so you had limited means to deal with him. But that's not why we're just standing here, is it? You have a fear of your power."
He turned to her. "How did you know?"
"The look on your face before you left the bridge. The captain is pushing you before you're ready. And...because most anyone else would be so excited about it that they would explore it as soon and as quickly as possible. You've not even attempted to manifest anything external from yourself, have you?"
He glanced downward. "No," he whispered sounding ashamed. "Have I disappointed you?"
She gazed up at him and saw the evidence of his concern writ across his face. She laid her hand on his cheek and stared into him for a moment. "Here you are, probably the most powerful being in the universe, and YOU worry that you've disappointed ME." She started to laugh but the wetness of her eyes showed more than amusement and she hugged him. "How wonderful you are."
Suddenly, they heard a series of unknown, heavy metallic sounds at an extraordinary volume from the stern of the ship. TANK...TANK TANK...TANK...TANK, and a BOOM accompanied by a rapid violent earthquake-like shaking of the ship as Ronan ran into the superstructure. The ship stopped, the general alarm sounded, smoke poured from the hatchway from the bowels of the ship, and people began to run out onto the deck. On his way to the bridge, he met the captain in the process of evacuating the structure.
"What's happened?" Ronan asked in a hurry.
"We've been hit by a meteor shower; we watched them fall. The engine is out, we're taking on water, and I don't know whether to blame you or not."
"There are men trapped in the engine room!" yelled a crewman from the floor below.
A message came from the radio on the captain's shoulder. "Captain," said the man, "the lifeboats are missing. I repeat, the lifeboats are missing."