"The God Wars" - Chapter Nineteen: New Arms

The God Wars

Chapter Nineteen:

New Arms

By Dwayne MacInnes

Corporal Daniels surveyed the construction of Fort Knopso. The fort was nearly complete. It had barracks, steep earthen and concrete walls dotted with towers and pillboxes, and a large parade ground inside its barricades. The village that provided the name for the fort laid abandoned and destroyed. The bodies of the villagers still lay charred and rotting in the ruined habitat when the small force led by General Theena returned.

By now, the name of the Amazon of Knopso was well known. The natives of Atlantis delighted in having one of their own as a general. Those, who were able, flocked to join her growing military command.

All recruits learned how to speak English, use modern weapons and tactics, and the use of military ranks. Officers even had to learn how to act around enlisted personnel. Initially, it was not uncommon to see an officer shaving the face of a private. However, the Otherworlders taught that enlisted personnel had to respect officers and those officers had to earn the respect of the enlisted personnel.

Daniels looked down at the two chevrons on his arm. He still could not believe he received a promotion for his act of bravery in the trenches. In addition, he also received the Atlantean Gold and Silver Star for valor and bravery. The only others to receive both were the sergeant, now Lieutenant Rogers and General Theena.

Lt. Rogers was now running the construction of the fort while the general rode off around the countryside gathering recruits. It now appeared that Fort Knopso was going to be an advanced fort as well as a training camp.

Now that some factories were up and running, muzzle loading-rifles were issued to the new local recruits and militia. Some ammunition for the M1 Garands and the artillery pieces were also starting to come into production. However, the new ammunition did not seem to arrive in enough quantities to please Lt. Rogers.

"We better get more factories on line before another army attacks us," groaned Lt. Rogers as he stepped up next to Daniels.

"Yes sir," Daniels said. "I think the recruits have been adapting pretty well. The first couple of weeks they nearly died of heart attacks when they heard the crack of a rifle. Now, most of them are fairly decent marksmen."

"We'll need more than decent marksmen if we are hit again. We barely held them off last time," the lieutenant said. "However, it is a good step."

Ares walked into the throne room on Mount Olympus. Zeus sat on his throne frowning as the god of war entered the room. All the assembled gods noticed the missing member where Ares' left hand used to be.

"I have summoned you here," Zeus stated bluntly. "You have sulked enough. Tell us what went wrong."

Ares normally a proud person looked around the room. He could try to hide the details of his defeat, but the mere fact he was missing a hand would give lie to his story. He noticed the pity on many of his peers' faces. That angered him more than anything else did and Ares did not hide his anger well.

"I was defeated, father!" cried the god of war. "These Otherworlders have unholy weapons and strange machinations of war. Even I was harmed by them as your brother was killed by them," Ares shouted as he thrust his stump towards Zeus.

"Our time of dominion has passed," Hera said calmly. "The age of man is upon us and we must graciously step aside. Otherwise, we will either destroy each other or we will just be killed."

Ares looked at his queen. He could not believe what Hera had just said. Had the gods lost their minds while he was away and convalescing?

"These Otherworlders are the problem," Hermes said. "We must teach them to fear us or perish as we have taught the Atlanteans."

"Hera, queen and mother is correct," Athena countered. "We have done little to earn the love of men over the centuries. We taught them we are gods, yet we are not divine. We merely have powers that they little understand that is all."

"How dare you, sister!" spat Ares. "Goddess of wisdom? Goddess of fear mongering, maybe. Goddess of cut and run!"

"I will not tolerate your insults half-brother," Athena coolly replied.

Ares looked down at his hand unconsciously. Did she mean to goad him over the loss of his hand or was she merely reminding him that they were just half-siblings. In either account, Ares face turned red in anger and shame.

"Peace," Apollo said. "I have the gift of healing. However, even I cannot repair the loss of a hand. Your best bet would be to ask Hephaestus. A mechanical hand is better than no hand."

The god of the anvil gave Apollo a sour look. The idea of helping the man who stole his wife sickened him. Granted he too feared these Otherworlders and would love to see them annihilated, but to help the very person who was sleeping with his wife and throwing it in his face was beyond reason.

"Oh dear husband," Aphrodite said with a honey voice. "Can you see it in your heart to help out a fellow god in a time of our great distress? Ares is our best hope and only you can help him."

The seduction of Aphrodite would work on mortals and most other gods. In fact, it used to work on Hephaestus. However, that was eons ago and the millennia of torment hardened his heart like the metals and alloys he worked with. Hephaestus frowned and glared at his wife then turned his sour visage on the god of war.

"Fool!" the god of the anvil bellowed. "You stole my wife and now you beg for my services.

"I will not build you a new hand even though I can easily do it. But, you are our best hope to resist these Otherworlders so I give you this!"

With a flick of his wrist, Hephaestus flung a double serrated-edged blade at the god of war. Ares watched as the metal object tumbled end over end towards him. Without flinching, Ares followed the blade's trajectory until it ended with a vibrating shudder stuck in the ground between his feet.

"That is the least I will give you for I have already given you too much," Hephaestus said sadly briefly glancing at Aphrodite before turning his back and leaving the throne room.

Aphrodite usually did not care about her husband the cripple. She loved the well-toned body of the god of war instead. Yet even she felt a pang of regret and sadness as she watched her husband stagger from the room.