Zeus the Mighty Book 4: The Epic Escape from the Underworld
CHAPTER 1 ZEUS THE MIGHTY WISHED HE HAD NEVER sneaked away from home For the first night in as long as he could remember his squad of Olympian gods didn’t have an adventure awaiting them no multiheaded monsters to vanquish no enchanted relics to recover no perilous journeys to undertake Instead the Olympians milled about in the Agora while Zeus leaned against a rope-wrapped pillar glancing longingly at his palace He could be on Mount Olympus now kicking back in his Golden Fleece bed popping pieces of Fuzzy Feast into his mouth Watch us Zeus Watch Watch A tan pug barreled past the king of the Greek gods snapping him out of his daydream 13
Watch what Zeus straightened his royal chiton as Ares the pug continued his mad scramble The hamster’s mouth dropped when he noticed a white speckled hen perched precariously on Ares’s back Why is Hermes riding on Ares Demeter Zeus asked the grasshopper lazing nearby Beats me replied Demeter the goddess of the harvest and Zeus’s best friend She paid little mind to the charging pug as she nibbled on the piece of lettuce draped across her shoulder I believe he’s trying to help Hermes fly explained Athena the cat who was batting at a feather hanging from the tip of a springy stick standing upright from a rubber cup stuck to the ground Artie had given Athena the toy recently to help distract her from chasing Hermes Athena might be the goddess of wisdom but she was still a cat and cats chased birds Zeus observed as Ares ran in a wide arc that brought him back in their direction He now charged full speed at the assembled Olympians his wrinkly face hidden by his Spartan war helmet On his back Hermes held her wings out for balance like a surfer riding a wave 14
Poseidon the pufferfish hovering in his clear dive helmet eyed the approaching pair with growing concern Should we move perhaps The pug was mere feet away with no sign of slowing Ares Zeus yelled raising his paws and standing directly in the pug’s path Pump the brakes Stop stop STOP Poseidon held up his trident But Ares wasn’t stopping Athena and Demeter leapt out of the way just as the dog was about to blast through the Olympians like a pug-shaped bowling ball Zeus and Poseidon braced for impact At the last second though Ares dug all four paws into the ground and skidded to a halt inches from Zeus and Poseidon Hermes kept going catapulted off the pug’s back She pumped her wings clumsily and clawed higher and higher into the air It wasn’t an impressive performance by most bird standards but for a chicken she positively soared Go go go Ares encouraged panting to catch his breath Stretch your wings more Athena shouted no longer interested in her toy You’ll get more lift 15
