Achilles Rising

The book smelled. In fact, it fairly reeked of age and rot. James wrinkled his nose and carefully, handling the deteriorating tome with naught but the tips of his gloved fingers, passed it along the line of aspiring Archeologists until it reached the eager paws of Dr. Alonzo Barr, esteemed scholar of Greek Antiquities. Until now, James had thought the man old, but even he seemed spritely and fresh compared to the ancient codex despite the liver spots and ever-increasing palsy that heralded the intensification of the old man's Parkinson's Disease. Unruly tufts of silvery-white hair sprouted just behind each ear, and even they seemed to quiver with excitement at the prospect of holding...well, whatever that disgusting book was, exactly.

James stood, brushing the moist, black dirt off of his jeans and only deepening the stains already embedded in the denim before removing his leather gloves and tucking them into his pocket. Around him, several of the other students had already done the same thing and crowded the squat figure of Dr. Barr, each vying for the best position to read what remained of the dilapidated volume. Dr. Barr seemed oblivious to the crowding. In fact, it seemed he had forgotten everything not related to the brittle, yellowed pages that he now ever-so-carefully flipped as his aging eyes greedily devoured every word scribbled in the ancient language. James pushed through to the center of the mob despite the enraged protests that he wait his turn. Mumbling "First Assistant," under his breath, James brushed a hand through his errant brown hair and tapped the old man on the shoulder.

"Professor?" Dr. Barr didn't answer. James leaned in to look at the writing, but nothing he saw seemed decipherable from upsidedown. Fluent in modern Greek, James recognized many of the ancient characters scrawled across the page, but he would need to study the writing carefully to make any accurate translations. He tapped the professor with more urgency. "Professor Barr!"

Jumping with a small yelp of surprise, Dr. Barr turned to look over at his first student assistant. "Yes? What is it, James?"

"Care to explain just exactly why you've had us searching through the ruins of Ephesus for a month-and-a-half, Professor? You've mumbled about a great discovery to be made, poring over scrolls and archeological studies in your tent the entire time we've been here. And now, when we find this book, you're fairly biting at the chomp to be able to read through it. I don't know about the rest of these guys, but I want to know what's going on." Behind him, the rest of the students nodded or spoke affirmations. Dr. Barr scanned the crowd and smiled before clearing his throat to speak.

"If I must. As you know, we stand at the ruins of the Temple of Artemis at Ephesus." There were nods from the crowd. "This was a great center of religion for the Ancient Greeks, as Artemis, and later her Roman counterpart, Diana, became representatives of the Great Mother Goddess. Thus, the statue's many breasts. This is common knowledge." Again, various students nodded. Some crossed their arms, some shifted their weight. None spoke. "What is not common knowledge is that Artemis' temple was used as a storage place for some of the Ancient world's most powerful magick. Many of these books were destroyed when the temple was razed, but the priestesses managed to save a few, hiding them in various places around Ephesus.

"Over the centuries, many of these books were found. All, in fact, but for two. The ones that were found were destroyed during the Renaissance by members of the Inquisition- their owners were burned. No one knew for certain what was contained in the two missing books, though there were many theories. The most prominent theory was that one of the books was the Greek version of the Book of the Dead. As the Egyptian Book was said to control life and death, so did the Greek version. All one had to do was stand in a sacred spot, read the correct incantation, and wait for the dead soul they sought.

"It is also said that the one who raises the spirit can control the spirit. Can ask it for anything. And the dead soul must comply, even at the risk of destroying itself. Of course, none of this has been proven, as no one has ever found, or seen, the book. There are few mentions of this book in the ancient texts and they are very obscure. The other book, as you all know, is a copy of the prophesies of the Oracle at Delphi."

The professor didn't speak again, but returned immediately to the book and read carefully. James coughed loudly, getting the man's attention. Dr. Barr raised his eyebrows and waited impatiently for the student's next question. "That tells us what we were looking for. One of the remaining two books. Obviously we found one. I think we're owed an explanation as to which book it is."

"It is the Prophesies of the Oracle at Delphi."

James nodded, nearly satisfied. "May I, at least, look at a page? My Greek isn't great, as you know, but I'd just like to feel such history in my own, two hands." That was a lie- James' Greek was excellent. He didn't believe what the professor was saying. There had been nothing about Prophesies or Delphi on the cover of the book James had unearthed.

Dr. Barr seemed hesitant, but passed the book carefully into the waiting hands of his student. James studied the page for a moment, translating a few of the words in his head. Ok...this means...life...this means death...The Book of Life...and Death. We found the Greek Book of the Dead, not anything about Prophesies! What the hell is the Professor getting at? Carefully masking his expression, James handed the book back to the professor, who immediately closed the tome and scurried off to his tent. The students dispersed, discussing the exciting find and just how famous they could become for helping to uncover it. James watched the professor go, his eyes narrowed, before heading to his own tent.

As night fell on the camp, James struggled to sleep. The events of the day ran through his head, especially the actions of Dr. Barr. Why had the professor lied to them? Even as thoughts of Dr. Barr passed, James saw a shadow scuttling by and recognized the professor's limp gait. Slipping out of bed and carefully unzipping the flap to his tent, James looked out into the camp. Professor Barr was headed for the ruins- James could see the book under the man's right arm. Grabbing a jacket, James crawled out of his tent and hurried after the aging, but surprisingly agile, Professor.

James stuck to the shadows, an immense sense of dread dropping, like lead, into his stomach as he followed the old man. He stayed quiet, even hushing his breathing to remain unnoticed. Sweat dripped into his blue eyes, and he flicked more away every second. Finally, rounding the corner of the last tent, James saw the Professor standing where the statue of Artemis would've stood before the temple was destroyed. He had the book open and seemed to be reading it in a quiet, measured voice. James dared not get any closer as the professor closed and slammed the book onto the dirt, throwing his arms out as if greeting a vistor.

As James watched, a wind whipped up around the professor. The old man struggled to stay afood as the winds buffeted his weak, old man's frame, but he waited. A dark mass began to swirl before him, growing ever larger until it dwarfed the tiny man with its intensity. James threw himself from behind the tent and ran forward, yelling for the professor. "Dr. Barr! Dr. Barr! What are you doing?! WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!"

Dr. Barr turned and laughed, his dark eyes dancing excitedly. "It's true, James! It's true! The spells in the Book of the Dead are real! They can really call the dead back from Hades to visit us! I will control him! I will become young again! I will be immortal!"

James stopped behind the professor, huffing and attempting to protect himself from the knifelike gusts of wind as they slashed across his face. "What?! Who have you called?! What do you mean immortal?!"

"Achilles, James! I've called Achilles from Death and he must follow my command! He must do as I ask! He will give me his strength and I will be invincible! I will be invincible, James! And then you must call another hero! You must call them and get their strength and we can be immortal! We can rule the world, James!"

James didn't answer, his eyes locked on the figure emerging from the vortex. The professor hadn't yet seen the man. Whatever James might've pictured, this wasn't it. That was no typical movie hero standing in front of him. Instead, dark curls fell to the middle of the back and black eyes cut through the night with their intensity. Olive skin gleamed with the oils that had helped to burn him on his pyre, and he still wore the burial clothing. And Achilles had none of that spark of heroism in him.

The man who stood before James could only be described as a killer. A murderer through and through. James was beginning to rethink his stance on the Trojan War. He was beginning to think that Hector might've been the better man, after all. No hero could look so...evil.

"Who called me?" Achilles asked in Greek. James unconciously stepped back, and the Professor seemed to shrink even more. "Which one of you maggots called me from sleep?"

"I did," the professor replied, his voice meek and tremulous. "I called you forth, Achilles." His voice sounded stronger now. "And I demand your soul's strength!"

Achilles studied the professor for a moment before throwing his head back in howls of laughter. "You? Old man, what are you getting at?"

"I have called you forth from Hades' realm! I control your soul! You must do as I demand or risk being destroyed forever! And I demand your soul's strength so that I might be immortal!" The Professor shouted above the now-deafening wind. James stood, his feet fixed to the dirt beneath him, a warm sensation trickling down his right leg. He had wet himself.

Achilles stepped forward and stood directly in front of the professor, towering over him. "You want my soul's strength, hmm? Well, I think I want to exist again. It would do well for me to live again. I feel the urge to do some killing- I feel hungry. Oh, no one mentioned that in your realm, did they?" The professor had jumped at Achilles words. "Yes. I ate the hearts of every one of my victims. You people. You think I was dipped into the Styx? Laughable! My mother gave me blood to drink instead of milk when I was a babe. The blood of others keeps me strong."

James gasped, drawing Achilles' attention to himself. "Ah...a strong soul. Your blood will do well. You lot had no clue, then, did you? Oh well, I guess I'll have to make myself known again. I always did want immortality myself, you know? Damn Paris- just as I was about to eat Hector's dead heart, too! Got me in my own heart. All that nonsense about my heel! Again...laughable!"

Before anyone had a chance to react, Achilles had stepped forward and into the Professor's body. The old man screamed as his body ripped to pieces and reattached themselves to Achilles' spirit. As Achilles' new body formed, the professor's melted away, leaving nothing but his dead soul standing there when Achilles took another step forward. James looked from the professor to the partially reformed Achilles. The professor's flesh had been too withered and old to provide Achilles with an all new body. Innards hung in full view, including the great, beating heart. James recalled what Achilles had said about getting him in the heart.

"Ahh...it seems that the dear professor was not enough to sustain me. Oh no. I guess I'll have to take your flesh, too, dear boy. But first..." Achilles turned and smiled cruelly at Dr. Barr's still-screaming soul. "Someone's got to take my place in Hades. Forgive me, dear man, but I think I'll use you." Without ceremony, the vortex reached out and grabbed the professor, sucking it into the spinning mass. The vortex and the wind disappeared immediately, leaving only the half-formed Achilles and the shaking James in the ruins of Ephesus. Behind them, the camp slept. James had to keep Achilles from getting to them. He picked up a rock and threw it straight at Achilles' heart.

Achilles caught it. "Tsk tsk tsk, dear boy. The heart thing only worked in my real life. I'm immortal, at the Professor's wish. I cannot be stopped. However, I will be needing your body..."

James' feet came alive and he ran hard. Behind him, he could hear the laughing form of the newly revived ancient hero as the figure merely walked after him. James needed to find a place to hide. He thought of where he was and whispered to Artemis as he ran. "Goddess Artemis...please help me. Please. Do not let this thing destroy me and the world!" James didn't know if the goddess existed. But the magick in the book existed and that meant Hades existed, which had to mean that Artemis existed. At least he hoped.

Rounding a corner, James saw a small cave where there had not been one the day before. He prayed it was Divine help. Taking a deep breath, James dove into the cave just as Achilles rounded the corner. The monster walked to the entrance of the cave and stopped, looking around. "Bitch! You helped him, didn't you! You will answer for this, Artemis!" Achilles stalked away.

"Don't worry, he will not go to the camp. He can only use you and the professor to regenterate- you two were the only ones there." James wheeled around to see a dark haired woman with intense green eyes staring down at him. A quiver sat on her back and a bow had been leaned against the cave wall. Artemis. "You called for me to help, so I am helping. I never liked him, anyway. He didn't hunt, he mutilated. However, I cannot come down to you like this all the time- I can only help from afar to keep you protected. You must do this yourself. You must get the Book of the Dead and find out how to send him back to Hades! If not, what happened to your professor will happen to you and a great monster will have been set upon this world. There will be no stopping him if he is not destroyed now. Go."

James nodded and stood, looking out into the night as Achilles searched, killing any animal or insect he passed. He needed to get that book. If not, then horror would stalk the world forever.