Last Hero Read online

  William slipped out on Marc’s far side. He looked back at Danny and mouthed, “I’ll stop Mr. Silen.”

  Danny looked back up at Dog Breath. Something William had said earlier occurred to him. His three heads allow him to see the past, present, and future.

  “What’s going to happen to me when I walk out of this building?” Danny asked.

  The hellhound’s third head spoke, “Typhon will destroy you.”

  Danny knew that was a lie. Mr. Silen said the monsters couldn’t hurt him. And so far they hadn’t.

  There was one question he still needed an answer to. “What am I?”

  The hellhound’s first head spoke, “You’re an abomination.”

  Danny watched as Dog Breath morphed back into the pock marked albino. Danny dodged beneath the guard’s lanky arms and headed for the parking lot.

  He looked back to make sure Dog Breath wasn’t chasing him. The guard stood there with slumped shoulders. Danny remembered that the guard’s only purpose was to guard the entrance and exit of the underworld. Did he ever leave?

  “I guess it really is hell,” Danny said. He turned and raced for the parking lot

  Danny spotted William standing by Mr. Silen’s sports car and waving him over. Mr. Silen was bent over in the grass, dry heaving.

  Danny rushed up to him. “I’m sorry about earlier. I need your help.”

  “No problem, man,” Mr. Silen said. He wiped his lips. “It’s been a long, strange trip.”

  Danny nodded. He looked at William for confirmation. “He said he was a teacher and companion to the gods.”

  William tapped his fingers on his chin then his eyes brightened. “Silenus…of course! He predated the satyrs and was a tutor to the wine god Dionysus.” He stared at Mr. Silen. “You can only teach when you’re drunk.”

  “That’s such a dirty word, man. I prefer ‘intoxicated.’” He chuckled and shivered. “Which unfortunately I am not right now.”

  They all turned when someone honked their horn from across the street. Danny felt paralyzed when he recognized the dirty white SUV. The driver’s door opened and a familiar face stepped out.

  Suit Man.

  Danny jumped when Mr. Silen put a hand on his shoulder.

  “There is one piece of advice I can give you,” Mr. Silen said. “Stay away from him, man.”

  William stepped forward and squinted. “Who is that?”

  Mr. Silen took a deep breath. “That’s Jonathan.” He leaned in close to Danny and whispered, “Is he okay, man?” He nodded at William.

  Danny nodded. “He’s helped me figure a lot of things out today. He’s okay.”

  Mr. Silen stepped back. “He’s your advisor. Awesome.”

  Danny motioned toward Suit Man. The guy was leaning against the SUV with his arms crossed. He stuck one arm out and tapped on his watch. Danny didn’t need to be reminded that time was running out. “Tell me about Jonathan.”

  Mr. Silen rubbed his chin. “He’s a ufologist and belongs to a society that tracks cosmic masters. He’s been studying the stars for years, searching for someone like yourself.”

  Danny knew Mr. Silen was telling the truth but there had to be more. “He knows about Ty.”

  Mr. Silen shook his head and sighed. “Jonathan was your age when the monsters attacked us sixteen years ago. His parents were killed during the onslaught.”

  “They were demigods?” Danny asked.

  “His mother was,” Mr. Silen said. “You should know that Jonathan has sworn to kill every god and monster.”

  “Something doesn’t add up,” William said. “Humans can’t see monsters.”

  Mr. Silen chuckled. “Your advisor is wise, Danny.” He reached down and grabbed the box of papers, then grunted and said, “I’m not as young as I used to be.”

  William snickered. “Exactly how old are you?”

  “I stopped counting centuries ago, man.” He turned like he was ready to jump in his car and race off.

  Danny knew Mr. Silen had stalled for some reason. “How did Jonathan’s parents die?”

  Mr. Silen froze and stared across the street at Jonathan. “They died trying to save yours.”

  Danny tried to process what the teacher had said. If Jonathan’s parents had tried to save his parents, then why was Jonathan putting pressure on him. Then Danny realized the answer. “He doesn’t know who I am.”

  “It probably doesn’t matter anymore. He knows you have the power of the gods. When you used your energy yesterday, he felt it as much as we all did.”

  Danny froze when he saw the American History teacher Mr. Joyner walk up to Jonathan’s van and jump into the back. Jonathan winked at Danny then hopped into the front passenger’s seat and waved as they drove away.

  Danny put his hands on his head. “What am I supposed to do? Jonathan wants me to kill Ty. He’ll kill my parents if I don’t. And Ty wants to kill me.”

  Mr. Silen smiled at Danny. “Be calm, my friend. Go home. I have sent someone ahead of you to help with Ty.” He threw the box into his car and slid into the driver’s seat.

  “Wait,” Danny shouted. “What about Jonathan?”

  “The gods favor you, Danny,” Mr. Silen said. He motioned to William. “Listen to your advisor. Follow your training. No one can hurt you if you believe in yourself.”

  “My training? What training?”

  Mr. Silen closed his car door and rolled the window down. “How are you at sports, man?”

  Danny smiled when he remembered the dodge ball battle with Kevin. “I’d say I’m pretty good.”

  Danny collapsed when something crashed into the side of his head. The world spun as he looked for the culprit. A football lay by his side.

  Mr. Silen took off his hippie glasses and put on a pair of shades. He cranked up his car and started to pull away. He stuck his head out the widow and said, “I’d say you might want to work on that.”

  CHAPTER 20

  TRAINING ON THE FOOTBALL FIELD (WITHOUT A FOOTBALL)

  DANNY STEPPED into the high school football stadium and stared at the woman on the fifty-yard line, who’d thrown the football at his head. He had never seen her before. She was college age and well tanned. She wore jean shorts and a tank top. If Danny had to rate her on a scale of one-ten, she was a twelve. She was definitely not a monster.

  “Today we’re going to focus on physical and mental training,” she said with an accent he couldn’t place.

  Danny nodded. “Who exactly are you?”

  “My name is Arete. It is my job to help you reach your full potential.” She snatched the football from him. “You won’t be needing this.” She picked a sports bag up from the ground and opened it. She turned the bag over and emptied its contents on the field. Empty soda cans scattered around her.

  “Hey, what are you doing?” Danny asked.

  Arete arranged the ten cans across the fifty-yard line. “You’re going to stand on the thirty-yard line and hit these cans.”

  Danny laughed. “I didn’t bring my BB gun.”

  Arete marched up to him, grabbed his arm, and dragged him to the thirty-yard line. She turned him to face the cans. “You have to focus on your target. Use your head first.” She knocked on his head. “Then use your hands.”

  Danny shook his head. “I’ve already tried. This doesn’t work. The cans aren’t trying to kill me.”

  She gripped his wrists and held his palms up. “You cannot live by fear or anger. You’ll only mess things up. You must use strength, bravery, and knowledge.” She shoved his arms down. “Now hit the cans.”

  Danny watched her take two steps back. Maybe she was right. He widened his stance and threw his arms out.

  “No,” Arete said. “You’re not trying to hit a house. Put your left hand behind your back.”

  Danny laughed but followed her orders.

  “Point your right hand at one of the cans and shoot. Just like a BB gun.”

  Danny took a deep breath and decided to give it a try. He pointed his
palm at a root beer can. He tried to force a ball of energy from his hand but nothing happened.

  “I can’t do this,” Danny said. “No one can. Those aren’t real targets.”

  Arete joined him by his right side. “No one, huh?” She threw out her hands, and small balls of energy volleyed from them at each can on the line. The cans shot up into the air one by one.

  Danny closed his mouth, realizing it was wide open. “You’re like me?”

  She shook her head and said, “I’m whatever I need to be to help you.” She looked into his eyes. “What are you fighting for? Focus on that. If you don’t have anything to fight for, then you have no reason to fight.” She stepped behind him. “Try it again.”

  Danny thought about his parents. The sun would sink below the tree lines soon, and time was running out to save them. He couldn’t let them die, and he had to protect himself. He couldn’t be responsible for the destruction of the world.

  Danny looked at the scattered cans and slowly put his right hand out. He thought of his mom and dad and how much he loved them. How much they loved him.

  The first can flew across the field. The second one fell over when the ground exploded next to it. Danny laughed and put his left hand out. The cans scattered one by one, some when he hit them, others when debris slammed into them.

  Danny looked back at Arete and rolled his shoulders back. “Pretty good, right?”

  “If you were in class, you’d get an F.”

  Danny’s shoulders dropped. He faced the cans again and prepared to hit them. He stopped when he felt a sting in his left shoulder. He turned and faced Arete. “What the—”

  She had a stick in her hand.

  “You just hit me with that.”

  She swung the stick at his other shoulder.

  “Ouch! That hurts!”

  She threw the stick at him, and he caught it. Arete reached down and picked up another stick.

  An odd thought occurred to Danny. “Where are you getting sticks from? We’re in the middle of a football field.”

  She swung her stick at Danny. He blocked it. She swung it harder and faster. “Are you going to fight back or stand there like a little girl?”

  “Careful. I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “I can take care of myself. Try to hit me or I’m going to smash your head in.”

  “What?”

  She clobbered the side of his head with her stick.

  “All right,” Danny said. He swung at her arms the same way she swung at him. She blocked every blow and hit him on the head again. After thirty seconds of this, he realized his couldn’t hit her. She was too fast and too strong.

  “Widen your stance and control your breathing.”

  He swung harder.

  “Go for the jugular.”

  “What?”

  Arete twirled and pushed Danny down. She stood over him and said, “You won’t always have your powers. You must learn to fight like a man. Get up and try again.”

  Danny stood, centered his balance, and controlled his swing again. The stick seemed to move faster and faster by itself until Arete could no longer block him. Her stick flew out of her hands and across the field.

  “Good! Now stop.” She put a hand on Danny’s shoulder. “When you fight, remember what you’re fighting for, Alexandros.” She kissed his cheek and smiled. Before she walked away, she said, “When the time is right, use my fire.”

  CHAPTER 21

  MUD IN THE CORNFIELD

  DANNY SEARCHED through the crowded festival for Becky that night. He had called her from home, but she didn’t answer. After telling his parents most of what happened today, minus the monsters, they let him come as long as he was surrounded by people. Becky said she would meet him here, but he couldn’t find her anywhere. Half of the school had come for the Fall Festival. There were games and rides all around. Danny brought his backpack with him for prizes and candy. Most of the kids were in costumes. Danny petted a goat walking through the crowd. It reminded him of Mr. Silen.

  “Not cheating on your girlfriend, are you?” Danny looked up at Marc smiling at him. He was slurping down a milkshake.

  “Hey, Marc. Sorry about earlier.”

  “I’m just playing with you. Loosen up, Lover Boy.” Marc took the lid off his milkshake and poured some of it into his palm. He put his palm in front of the goat and let it lick his hand.

  “Have you seen Becky?” Danny had tried to text her, but the secluded farm was a dead zone for cell service.

  Marc giggled and said, “That tickles, you naughty, naughty goat.” He wiped his hand on his pants when he saw Danny staring at him. “She was looking for you. She and six of her lady friends went into the corn maze.”

  “Thanks.” Danny headed for the field on the other side of the farm.

  “If you hurt her I’ll have to kill you,” Marc shouted after Danny.

  Danny had no doubt Marc was telling the truth. He had always seemed overprotective of Becky. Danny used to think it was annoying, but now he was glad Becky had someone like Marc in her life.

  “Wait up,” someone said behind Danny. William raced to his side.

  “What are you doing here?” Danny asked. He didn’t figure William for a guy who liked this kind of fun. He could picture William at a planetarium or museum.

  “Are you serious? They hand out candy like it grows on trees.” His pockets bulged with candy. “This, of course, is impossible. Candy can’t grow on trees. But for one wild night, I’m willing to suspend all belief in reality.” He popped a caramel into his mouth.

  Danny shook his head and laughed. Maybe William was human after all.

  “Where are you going?”

  “Corn maze.”

  Danny stopped when they got to the maze and stared at the posted sign in front of it.

  ENTER AT OWN RISK

  “I’VE BEEN waiting for you, Alexandros Helen.”

  Danny looked at the exchange student Aria from Crete. She had a golden complexion and a soothing voice. Most of the guys at school had asked her out, but she said she had a boyfriend back home. She wasn’t a monster.

  “Rebecca and her friends are in danger.”

  Danny felt the energy course through his body. He couldn’t let anything happen to Becky. He marched toward the corn maze.

  “Wait,” Aria said. “You will need help.” She handed him what looked like the base of a sword.

  “What am I supposed to do with this?”

  “It is a gift from Hephaestus. Trust your instincts.”

  William snatched the base from Danny and held it up. His eyes were wide and his mouth agape. “Holy crap.” He gave it back to Danny. “Do you know what this is?”

  Danny shook his head.

  “Okay. Listen.” He rubbed his hands together and paced between Danny and Aria. He stopped and pointed at the exchange student. “This is Ariadne, and that,” he said, pointing at the corn maze, “is the Labyrinth.”

  Danny shrugged. “Talk fast.”

  “Seven went in,” Aria said.

  “I should have seen this,” William said. “The Mino farm. The Minotaur.” He popped another piece of candy into his mouth. “Part bull and part man. Trapped inside the Labyrinth. Seven people are sent in each year as a sacrifice.” He put his hands on Danny’s shoulders. “He eats them.”

  “How do I stop him?” Danny asked.

  “You must cut off his head,” Aria said.

  “No. There’s got to be another way.”

  William shook his head and looked into Danny’s eyes. “I didn’t believe it at first. But now I see it. You are a demigod. You have to save them.”

  Aria stepped up to Danny and kissed his cheek. “Each one of us must slay our own monsters. If we don’t, then we can’t help the people we love.”

  Danny turned and raced into the maze. He had to save Becky and her friends. He had to find them in time. “Why do the monsters have to keep eating people?”

  “Remember your training,” Aria shoute
d after him. “Use the sword, Alexandros!”

  THE GROUND was muddy from last night’s rain. The mud splattered on Danny’s pants with each step he took. The trail was eight feet wide with corn stalks barricading both sides. This was Danny’s first time in a corn maze.

  He was twenty feet into the maze when it split off to the right and left. He didn’t have time to reach dead ends and make detours. The sign in front of him read:

  You could go right

  You could go left

  You could go blind

  You could go deaf

  Don't get lost

  Don't lose your way

  For the cost

  Is much to pay

  He closed his eyes and raised his arms up by his sides.

  “Trust your instincts,” he recalled Aria saying.

  Danny inhaled and focused his mind on Becky. The world silenced around him. A burning sensation seared his right hand. He opened his eyes and saw the top of the wall of corn stalks on his right was blown back like a strong wind pressed it down. The power coursed through his body. He ran like lightning to the next split in the maze. He raised his arms again and followed his instincts. He was getting closer to the heart of the maze. Aria said that’s where the Minotaur would be.

  He was almost there. He would save them all.

  Danny collapsed face first into the mud when someone or something shoved him from behind. He lifted his face from the ground and spit out a mouthful of mud. He turned and looked up to see Kevin’s boot aiming for his head.

  Danny rolled to his side and swept Kevin’s legs.

  Kevin plummeted to the mud.

  “Kevin, listen to me,” Danny pleaded when he jumped back up.

  Kevin rose from the mud and swung at Danny’s chin.

  Danny stood back, stunned, when Kevin’s fist connected with his jaw. He tasted blood. Danny blocked the next blow, caught Kevin’s arm and flipped him onto his back. “Don’t do this!”

  Kevin jumped to his knees. He kicked Danny in the side.