Cerberus

Time stood still for just a moment. The beast glared through me, but I could see destruction in its eyes. It's just like me, missing pieces of itself. Had my people cared as much as the giants did when this hound had gone missing? Had it once been a playful giant hound that gave this species some form of hope and happiness? My hand actually trembled at the idea of slaying the beast, to take that away from the giants. I had to choose the other option. I needed to run.

The beasts massive paws slammed into the ground as it charged towards me. All six eyes locked on me, their next meal. Its massive body was slamming against the walls of the cavern and causing many pieces to crack and burst open, allowing the orange essence to flow freely and the translucent creatures to be freed from eternal prison in the walls of a mountain. I looked at the horseman one time before I fled. He was still laughing hysterically as he donned his hood and began to walk the other way.

I turned quickly at the tunnel I had once come through, but something held me in place. There was a loud pounding on the nearest wall. As if the translucent creatures were begging for their own freedom. I couldn't help but rush over to the wall and split it open with my sword. The translucent creatures flew into the sky and circled around. Even in all the chaos, I admired a certain beauty of being the one who freed them. There was one in particular that had caught my eye, it was the same one that was beating against the wall. He flew straight at me and collided with my forehead. I felt a cold rushing sensation in my skull. Then all of a sudden everything seemed right again. I could remember! By the time all this was done, the beast had blocked my original exit. I can't take the chance that one of the adjacent tunnels was actually a dead end and I would get caught and forced to slay the beast.

Cerberus roared so loud that it shook the entire mountain. All three heads were in unison. It stood there, examining me. I slowly crept to my left and it did as well. It was attempting to copy my movement. These hounds were known to be great hunters here on Jotunheim. Things the giants couldn't see, the hounds would sniff out and get. I charged at the beast with my sword still sheathed on my back. I jumped up in the air, and I could feel all the teeth snapping at my legs, I landed and used my momentum to slide underneath Cerberus. It nearly toppled over trying to bite at me as I was going under. Its far right head and actually slammed into the wall, mimicking the motions of the other two heads. I reached the tunnel and ran down its long length. I could hear the hound roar in frustration. It shoved its body into the smaller sized tunnel behind me and began to tear through the sides as it ran to catch me.

The sounds of cracking rock and century old ice filled the air ahead of me. Cerberus was going to collapse this whole damn hallowed out mountain on top of me if I don't get the hell out of here. The hounds claws scratched and ripped at the ground and it used its immense strength to force itself through to small space. I saw the backside of the heavy golden doors at the end of the tunnel. The hound was actually catching up to me, I needed to speed up. I ran with all my strength and prepared to force these damn doors open. I collided with the back of the doors. I got knocked down and my head hurt like hell.

"Who the hell builds push doors only to enter a cavern?!" I shouted in anger. There were no handles, but I saw a small crack between the doors and pulled my sword out. I shoved the blade in-between the doors and pried them open and slid through once I had just enough space to fit. I pulled the large golden door shut and began to sprint back to the giant. I could see his silhouette through the snow. My feet grew heavy as I attempted to lift them through the thick snow. I could feel my sweat freeze as it dripped down my face. I was only about twenty feet away from the doors when I heard a loud crushing sound and a loud thud. The hound had blown straight through the doors. I don't know why, but I stopped for a moment and looked behind me. The hound stood high, its paws sunk into the snow. It gazed upon me and snarled. It once again ran towards me. I noticed its paws were slightly webbed. Evolution and adaptation allowing it easy passage over the snow. There was no way in hell I could get to the giant before it got to me. I hesitated to grab my sword and shook the thought away. I had to continue to run, I cannot slay Cerberus.

I was still doing my awkward run through the snow. My body was beginning to tire from the extra energy being used to lift my legs so high out of the snow. But I knew it was the only thing I could do. The hound was now only feet away, I had no choice. As it dove for me, I drew my sword. Each head snapped and snarled at me. Spit flying everywhere. I was blocked each and every attempt for it to snap my head off with my sword. One of the heads bit into my left leg, I let out a loud scream of pain and it threw me a long distance. I landed in the soft snow, I could feel blood gushing out of the wound. It hurt like hell, but the leg still wasn't broken. I took off my coat and ripped my sleeve and put a makeshift tourniquet on my leg, to at least slow the bleeding. I put my coat back on, hands covered in my own blood. Luckily, it threw me closer to the giant. Unlucky for me, it would easily catch me even at this distance.

The hound didn't seem to slow down, its far right head, dripping with my blood. It lunged once more when it got near, I dove onto my back again with my sword drawn, ready to kill. But it stopped midair. The giant caught it. It raised the hound high in the air as the three heads still stared down at me, snapping as if it was fantasizing about chewing me to bits.

"Cerberus... What have they done to you?!" Gannd shouted from high above.

I could only really see the shadows of the two from on the ground. I got up and started to limp my way towards the ship. I found Cerberus, my objective for the giants was done. I stared back at the giant Gannd and his hound Cerberus. But something didn't seem right. The giant was falling backwards. Of course, his body was so massive, I wasn't sure how to not get crushed. I ran with all my might and the giants body just missed me. I looked back and I could see its shoulder. I looked over to the giants massive head and walked cautiously over to it. The snow that was flown high in the air created a inference with my vision. I squinted as if that was going to help see through the coat of snow in front of me. I had reached the giants neck and blood dripped down the sides. I couldn't believe my eyes. Cerberus was on the center of the giants throat, ripping and chewing away at it. The giants eyes seemed to dull in color as they peered openly towards me. One of the heads lifted high and stared in my direction. Hoping the snow could keep me in stealth, I crawled away from the giant.

I had thought that the giants skin was too tough to be penetrated. Maybe that was a myth, or maybe Cerberus had enough power and strength in a bite to take down his own handlers. I could see the ship in view. Fjorn needs to get this ship ready and fast! I felt the pain in my leg fade a bit. My pace was able to pick up and the ship was mere feet away. I could see in the short day that Fjorn had actually fixed the ship. I waved my hands like a lunatic and the side hatch had hissed and lowered. I climbed onboard.

"Ahh boy, you did it! I can remember!" Fjorn said.

"No time, get us high in the air and off this frozen hell!" I shouted.

Fjorn only looked puzzled for a minute before he immediately began giving commands to Paragon.

"Full thrusters, get us into orbit and allow us to access the situation Paragon. This is high priority." Fjorn said.

The ships AI dinged a sound of acknowledgment. The side hatch closed and the ship broke free of the ice that had formed around it. As we slowly rose, we could see out of the cockpit windows. Cerberus was running, towards us. All three heads soaked in blood. This thing wasn't just killing for food. It was killing for sport. It looked to dominate every creature on this planet. We shot in the air just as Cerberus leapt at us. Barely missing its claws from ripping the ship to shreds, us along with it. As we began to reach orbit, I stopped and looked at Fjorn.

"We need to warn Aldonis of this. It will slaughter them all if we don't." I said.

"Boy, we barely it made it off that planet to begin with and you want to go back? You are wild, not gonna happen." Fjorn said, I could sense a bit of regret at his coward-like statement.

"Fjorn. It's the right thing to do. Lower us. Paragon, search fifteen miles west of our last known location for a ring of carved mountains." I said.

"Captain, do you concur with this demand?" The ships monotoned AI questioned.

"Aye. It's the right thing to do." Fjorn said, sighing in frustration.

We shot back down and towards the circle of mountains. But as we drew near, we saw in horror. We were too late. Giants bodies were lifeless and laying about in various spots around the mountains. Then we saw it, one giant was still standing. We flew towards him with quick speed.

"Paragon, lower the hatch, but keep me at eye level with the giant." I said.

The hatch hissed open and I walked towards the opening. It was Aldonis. His metal helmet was cracked in certain places. His eyes were heavily sullen and filled with tears so big they could fill a lake.

"We remembered who we were Xander. Barbaric beasts. We were given a choice and our ancestors chose wrong. We all remembered their thoughts and the wars against each others tribes. They began fighting amongst each other." Aldonis said.

I looked around and didn't see a single scratch mark or hound laying waste to their remains.

"I had to kill them. I had to. I will roam Jotunheim until I am consumed by this curse and float amongst the stars." Aldonis said through gritted teeth.

I called back to the cockpit in a low voice. "Fjorn, get us the hell out of here. Now."

"And this would never had to happen if Zeus did not interfere with my people! Outsiders determined my people to be animals. I will show all of you an animal!!!" Aldonis shouted and swiped at the ship. Luckily Paragon had learned from the previous attack from Gannd and easily dodged his attack. I rushed back into the cockpit and strapped myself in. The hatch door hissed behind me as it sealed itself from the outside world.

The ship quickly rose and I could see on the monitors that Aldonis was climbing onto the nearest mountain. To my disbelief, he had ripped off a large piece and began throwing them towards us. The ship maneuvered quite easily around these massive boulders. Then, the monitors displayed something else. Something had leapt at Aldonis and knocked him down. The monitors now easily showed the battle ensuing down below. Cerberus, the undead hound fought viciously against the crazed leader of the giants of Jotunheim, Aldonis. We continued our rise into orbit and off planet, the monitors momentarily displayed Aldonis lifting up Cerberus and punching him into the nearest mountain causing it to collapse on it. Then, we could see Cerberus jump back towards the giant. At that moment, the monitor lost all visuals and ended.

We silently sat in orbit for a moment. I was pissed. I came here to find answers but only seemed to cause problems. Even with my memories back and everything I knew. I had just destroyed the villages on Jotunheim. Releasing the souls that pieced back memories and wholeness to myself and Fjorn, condemned these beings to their old lives of war.

"Boy.. you didn't know. You were just trying.."

"Fjorn, do you understand what we did. All because of Zeus. That maniac needs to be destroyed, and I will see to it, it will be by my hand. Even if I die trying." I said, fury raging in my now completed soul.

"I think we outta get some help boy. Paragon, take us to the milky way galaxy and back to The Forge. We need to report what we have found and now declare ourselves not missing. We need to prepare for war." Fjorn said, a stern voice but I could feel he was mourning with me.

My memories are back. That phony god, tricked us. Now he will pay.