Curse of Ares

Story
Leo is running through the open fields, away from the city. Rook and Eirene are riding it, Eirene looking back towards the city.

Eirene: I don’t see John.

Rook: Leo’s speed is fast. I didn’t expect him to keep up. That being said, he’ll be fine. He is a herald of the gods, after all.

Eirene: I still think we should go back and look for him. (Leo stops, sniffing the air. He then walks, and approaches John, who was sitting on a rock ahead of them.)

John: Hey guys.

Eirene: John! How did you?

Rook: See. No problem. (Eirene dismounts Leo, as does Rook. Leo is panting heavily.) Good job, boy. Rest for a bit. (Rook presses the button on its neck, and Leo turns into a cube, which Rook picks up.)

Eirene: Are you okay?

John: Not really. The Omnitrix hasn’t been working for me recently. It’s as if it’s giving me forms that are bad for the situation, or battle.

Eirene: (Reserved) Maybe, you are cursed.

John: Cursed?

Eirene: Lucian was the son of Ares, god of war and weapons. Perhaps Ares has cursed your, “Omnitrix” as you called it.

John: That is completely absurd. There’s no way he could do that, and besides, the Omnitrix isn’t a weapon.

Then, the ground starts to shake, as if from a earthquake. The trio turns, and sees a herd of boars in the distance, charging in their direction.

Eirene: Oh, gods.

Rook: The boar is the sacred animal of Ares.

John: Not helping guys. Swampfire can take these guys down with ease. (Slaps down the Omnitrix.)

Xylofreeze: Really? (The boars get closer, seeing that they were taller than them, about 10 feet tall.) Maybe I am cursed. As much as I hate to admit it.

Xylofreeze uses his telekinesis, lifting the boars off the ground, floating in midair. More boars start approaching, and Xylofreeze flings the old boars at the new boars, knocking them over. The boars recover quickly, getting up and charging again. Xylofreeze continues to toss boars, but they are soon surrounded. Xylofreeze spins, gathering the boars and flinging them, landing in front of him.

Rook: I do not think you can win with this form.

Xylofreeze: I agree. (Hits Omnitrix.)

Ultimate Xylofreeze: Ultimate Xylofreeze! (Eirene screams.)

Eirene: It’s hideous!

Ultimate Xylofreeze: Thanks for that. Get behind me. (Rook and Eirene get behind Ultimate Xylofreeze, as he opens his third eye.)

The boars get up and prepare to charge at them. Around Ultimate Xylofreeze forms a giant humanoid, similar to Merlina’s guardian. It was wearing a bib saying “Barbecue.” It had a fork and knife, licking its lips like a mad man. The boars freak out, turning around and running in the opposite direction, squealing like frightened pigs. Ultimate Xylofreeze reverts.

Eirene: Wow. How did you do that?

John: My form was so ugly, it scared them off.

Eirene: I, am sorry for the comment. I am just

John: Prejudice against aliens. (Eirene looks ashamed, as John looks up to the sky.) I’ve said this already, gods! The Omnitrix is not a weapon!

Rook: That is hard to believe. It acts like a weapon.

John: It was created as a tool of knowledge, to be able to understand how other species live. Speaking of which, Eirene. (Eirene looks up, coming out of her daze.) Can you give me a listing of all the Olympians?

Eirene: Uh, yeah. Why?

John: The alien forms I have access to resemble the powers of the Olympiads. Perhaps the aliens I use resemble which god is helping me at that moment.

Eirene: Really? Okay, well, uh, there’s Zeus, king of the gods and god of lightning. Hera is queen of the gods, and goddess of marriage. Poseidon is god of the sea, Athena is the goddess of wisdom, Ares the god of war, Apollo god of the sun, music and prophecies. Artemis is the goddess of the moon and the hunt, Hermes the messenger god and god of travel and thieves. Hephaestus is the god of the forges, Aphrodite the goddess of love, Demeter goddess of the harvest, and Dionysus is the god of wine. Then there is Hades, who isn’t one of the 12 Olympians, who is the lord of the dead and the Underworld.

John: (Muttering the names back to himself, then speaks out loud.) Alright. The forms I’ve used so far are Heatblast, Swampfire, Wildvine, Rath, Grey Matter, Light Cream, and Xylofreeze. I already know that Wildvine resembles Dionysus. Meaning that Swampfire is for Demeter, with his plant control. Grey Matter is my smartest alien, so that’s Athena. Rath is obviously Ares, only for fighting, and Heatblast is Apollo, most likely. He’s the only alien that is bright like the sun. I have no clue about Light Cream and Xylofreeze.

Rook: Perhaps Xylofreeze is for Hera.

John: I don’t think so. I’d think that it’d be a stronger form for the queen of the gods.

Voice: Well, that comment probably saved all of you from Hera’s wrath. (They turn, seeing a man in a toga.)

John: Who are you?

Man: (Sighs) Really? I was in that list. I’ll give you a hint. (He raises his foot, revealing a sandal with wings on them.)

John: Winged sandals. Wings, flight, travel. Hermes, messenger of the gods.

Hermes: There we go. Now, as you may know, the other gods are not quite sure about you. So, you were given a quest. You are to slay the creature known as the Medusa.

Eirene: Medusa?! That’s the creature that turns one to stone just by looking into her eyes.

Hermes: Very good.

John: Which god or goddess gave me the quest?

Hermes: I’m not at liberty to say.

John: I don’t like info being kept from me. That being said, what are the details of the quest?

Hermes: That I do not know. You will have to ask the Oracle for that. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have a boatload of deliveries to make. (Hermes then flies off, disappearing.)

John: What oracle? End Scene

John, Eirene and Rook are at the city of Delphi, on Mount Parnassus. They walk through the city.

John: So, this oracle will tell me what needs to be done?

Eirene: Yes. The Oracle of Delphi was given her foresight by Apollo, god of prophecies. She can see the future, and say what will happen, what you need to do. (They arrive outside a temple.) We’re here.

John: Alright. Let’s go.

Eirene: Uh, (John looks back, seeing Eirene nervous.) We can’t go in with you. You have to speak to the Oracle alone.

John: Understood.

John goes inside, and sees the Oracle, who was dressed as an enchantress.

Oracle: Welcome, Jonathan Smith, (The words sent shivers down John’s spine) hero of the future.

John: If you know everything, can you tell me why I’m in this time?

Oracle: I am sorry, but that will have to wait for another time. Your quest comes first.

The Oracle then releases a green light her mouth and eyes. She then speaks in a harsh voice.

Oracle: ''Into the Sea of Monsters you shall walk, until you find the stone garden. ''

            Blind to its gaze you must be, or else your skin will become harden.

The green light fades, and the Oracle returns to normal.

John: What was that? What does it mean?

Oracle: Goodbye, Jonathan. I have another prophecy for you, but it is not to be heard yet. John: (Gets up) I’ll be back then. (John then leaves.)

Characters

 * John Spacewalker
 * Eirene
 * Rook
 * Leo the Automaton
 * Hermes

Villains

 * Giant Boars

Aliens

 * Xylofreeze (first re-appearance) (accidental transformation; selected alien was Swampfire)
 * Ultimate Xylofreeze (first re-appearance)

Trivia

 * John has been cursed by Ares for killing his son Lucian.
 * The aliens that John has unlocked resemble the powers of the Olympian gods, and Hades.
 * Heatblast is based on Apollo.
 * Swampfire is based on Demeter.
 * Wildvine is based on Dionysus.
 * Rath is based on Ares.
 * Grey Matter is based on Athena.
 * Xylofreeze and Light Cream haven't been determined yet.
 * Them, along with the other aliens, are up to you readers to debate about.
 * John gets a quest to slay Medusa, and receives a prophecy from the Oracle.