The Myth of Lazaros

According to the prophecies, the year marked 1111 B.C.E, and Mount Olympus was expecting to complete a task of the future; time travel. Apollo had been warning the Gods this task will propose sheer difficulty, but it must be attempted. He indicated the stars had aligned at the perfect angle and formed the complex force of magnitude that could transport a God to his desired point in the future. Kronos, who was accompanied by Zeus, Poseidon, Hera, Dolos, Giannis, and Athena were all gathered in Mount Olympus discussing what could be the most revolutionary point in time. Yet, their was proposed concern as to who they’d send on this journey. Apollo was unsure of what may happen, and who is eligible enough to go. He stated if they don’t make an urgent decision, the stars may rearrange in a different array, making time travel extremely perilous. Sitting there perplexed, the Gods weren’t sure if Apollo was crazy or if he was actually on to something. Athena proposed to send Heracles, but that was rejected. Time was slowly fading, and no progress was being made. Zeus was completely despondent, and decided to send Hermes to the underworld, and potentially work out a deal with the Fates. Cerberus the keeper of the Underworld, was the only thing standing in their way, but Athena had an idea. She would lend Hermes her invisibility cap to potentially sneak past the Cerberus and get in contact with the Fates. Apollo listened attentively, contemplating any possible loopholes in his mind, but he couldn’t find any. It was a risky feat, but something had to be done, and it had to happen quickly.

Apollo left Mount Olympus, and propped his telescope against the grass, carefully gazing at the stars. He carefully positioned it to where he was previously observing, and noticed the Big and Little Dipper, as well as the Cepheus. Apollo gently pushed his telescope over a couple inches and there he spotted a long string of stars aligned in a row to perfection. Fascination was not the only emotion he was feeling, but a nervous temptation began to brew. Hermes had to be quick, as the stars can rearrange at any moment. With a scroll bearing from its beak, Apollo sent a bird up to Mount Olympus to notify Zeus that Hermes must begin his quest. Archaeopteryx, Apollo’s messenger bird, was trusted to get the job done. He’d been gifted the ability to travel the speed of light by Zeus, and was often relied on by the Gods. Upon arrival of the message to Mount Olympus, Zeus began to take action and he warned Hermes the fate of the future lies in his hands. If error prevailed, the future would forever be afflicted, and Apollo’s vision will forever be dissolved. For quicker method of transportation, Hermes shapeshifted into a rooster and Dolos used her teleportation skills to dispatch him down to the Underworld. Dark and gloomy patches of smoke stained the air, as the aroma of blood and terror filled the lungs of Hermes. Hades or Cerberus were not yet visible, and Hermes quickly scouted the area and began to walk. Water dripped and splashed along the dungeon of Hades, and off in the distance Hermes spotted a sign that read: “The Field of Punishment.” A sudden jolt of fear raced up his body, as the three Fates; Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos, stared him down with a menacing look in their eyes. Hermes acted like he didn’t notice them, and this quickly alluded to the Fates he feared them. Swiftly and quietly, the Fates flew over questioning his presence. Hermes explained he was seeking somebody for a mission; or someone seeking a second chance for their life. The Fates exchanged looks with each other and whispered a few exchanges, as Hermes tried to listen. Although he seemed weary and suspicious about it, Hermes struck a deal with them. Lazaros, Son of Vlasis, was stolen by Hades as a result of betraying him, and the Fates proposed him to go on Apollo’s mission. Hades was planning on feeding him to the Cerberus, but the Fates had surpassed that idea. Atropos quickly noted that Lazaros is seeking to find his father who had died in the crash landing in a plane, back on Earth. Hades year ago, and by partaking in this mission he’ll be able to pursue this intention. Per Hermes, if he returns from the mission alive, he will be released back to Mount Olympus with his father, and Hermes said the God’s offered to grant him any power of his choice. Lazaros was in on the deal was well, and the Fates could end his life at any moment, if he chose to be a coward out at any point. With everything set in place, Lazaros gathered himself physically and mentally, as the future, his life, and his father’s legacy currently lies in his hands.

Apollo sat perched next to his telescope, once again, precisely analyzing the constellations and their distinctive patterns. Similar to before, alignment was the key thing he was observing, and once he confirmed everything looked favorable, he told Zeus he wanted to meet briefly with Lazaros. Mount Olympus was where everyone gathered, with their anxiousness clearly visible, and fear beginning to arise. Apollo sat at the head of the table, now accompanied by numerous other Gods such as Ares, Poseidon, Aphrodite, and Dionyseus. Cohesively, Zeus and Apollo welcomed and greeted their guests and spent the next few minutes discussing why there gathered, and what their aiming to achieve. Lazaros sat to the left of Apollo, introduced himself, and explained the relevance behind his presence and how he’s excited to take on a revolutionary point in history. Apollo then began to explain his strategy, in which he indicated Lazaros will be seeking to find his father, and is attempting to have a second chance at life. Dolos then touched upon what him and Apollo had discussed about the appearance of Lazoros. Risk of being spotted was not the only factor, but they also had to worry about his dad recognizing him. Dolos said he could brew a potion to give to Lazaros, and once that’s complete, Apollo will be ready to send him back in time, and utilize his TTM-1 that he handcrafted with the finest materials, and combined the power and energy of 10 different Gods in to one main energy source. All it required was the supercharge of Zeus’s lightning bolt, and that was said to transmit enough energy to power the entire journey. Apollo only had two main complications, and they had all began when he spoke to the Prophecy. Allegedly, someone will be left behind, and it’s highly possible the stars may rearrange before the time Lazaros returns. Zeus and Poseidon had a brief dispute but everyone had agreed the journey must go on. Athena gifted Lazaros her telescope, Zeus gave him a lightning bolt, Giannis gifted him a replicator, and Posiedon gifted him what he called a “water bomb,” which would keep him energized his whole journey. Departure was estimated before tomorrow morning, and soon after the feast, Apollo began to test the magnitude and gravitational forces he was able to generate, and essentially travel at the speed of light. Mount Olympus was silent for the rest of the night, as Lazaros said his last farewells and goodbyes to his family, and gradually began to prepare for his takeoff. Apollo was more ready than ever, and the thought of time travel still boggled the minds of people trying to comprehend what was going on. 

Midnight struck, and Lazaros was carefully placed into the TTM-1. Dolos had given him a vial of his potion to make him appear younger, and Apollo began to get the machine running. Flips were switched, levers were pulled, and numerous buttons were hit. Takeoff was edging near, and Zeus, accompanied by the other Gods of Olympus, came down from their thrones to witness it. Apollo injected the power chip generated from the Zeus and every other God’s power; plugged it in and began to count down. Lazaros was being sent back to Earth during the year 2001, and his body language showed exactly how nervous he was. Apollo carefully adjusted the magnitidual force, and then without any hesitation, sent Lazaros on his way. Zeus struck the electric rod, and the TTM-1 quickly jolted, letting out a loud booming noise. Within seconds, Lazaros was gone, and Apollo was amazed by his invention. Negating time travel commonly prevailed; considered as an occurence of the future, yet the way things were looking, Apollo may have just afflicted the theory. 

Too risky. Not possible. Too futuristic. That’s what they all told me. It was an unattainable feat, that was was a pipeline dream. It wasn’t a place for me. There I stood; NASA’s exit gate. My fingers trembling like worms gasping for water, my stomach twisting and turning like a blender, and my thoughts in my mind wandered off into the blankness of the room I was waiting in. Dolos and her potion had definitely worked wonders, but my muscles were severely tensed, and my body was completely shrunk. Traveling so far back, at the speed of light, was 

extremely painful, but my father was worth it. 

Athena’s telescope she had given me when I left was causing a bulge in my pocket, and it was the only thing calming me down at the moment. I could use it as a way to connect with her, and it could also be used in combat. I clicked the switch on the back, and a hologram of Athena appeared right next to me, but she was essentially invisible. Her warm gaze filled my body, and she told me to relax. That didn’t clarify much, but I trusted Athena and I was devoted to listening to her. The room was completely silent, but that was about to change. Athena carefully grasped my hand and tried to console me and my anxiousness, and I couldn’t help but to let out a smile. Interrupting my moment of silence was a door, that abruptly opened. An astronaut appeared from behind the door with a blank and gloomy expression on his face, and my Dad not by his side. He carried his helmet in his hand, as the bold NASA letters boastefully shone in the bright light. As he appeared in front of us, he pursed his lips and began explaining the news carefully. After what he’d said, I didn’t think my life would ever be the same. I felt sick in my stomach just thinking about it. I wasn’t that type of person that cries over everything but something got to me, and I couldn’t help it. He was gone. My Dad’s shuttle had evidently crashed, as the pilot apparently lost control and nobody knew how to redirect the plain upwards again. I felt guilty deep inside, but I knew it wasn’t my fault one bit. Although, I was kind of freaked out, I was sad at the same time. We were late, and the plane had already crashed. I was doomed. 

It was honestly crazy for me to process in my mind, but it was all said and done, and me getting upset wasn't going to change anything now.  If I could only go back in time again I sobbed. It had all happened so quickly, but I had an idea. Apollo had given me another TTM-1 to get back home, and I only had one lightning bolt from Zeus left, so I couldn’t use it to go back and save my Dad’s flight. Perplexed, Athena and I stared at each other, blaming everything on Apollo. We argued back and forth, but finally I had an idea. Giannis had gifted me his replicator that Athena told me could replicate any object I needed to reuse. However, it could only be used one time, and if I needed it later on, I may get stuck. Athena told me to just use it, as time was running out, and Apollo was starting to notice some changes in the constellations he’s been observing. She quickly showed me how to use it,  and within seconds a brand new TTM-1 was in my hands ready for use. 3 buttons caught my attention as the device lay in hands. One said “return,” one said said “repeat”, and the last one said “begin.” Athena noted the repeat button may be what I’m looking for, and she also indicated that the prophecy says hardships must be faced along the way. Without hesitation, whatsoever, Athena made me strike the TTM-1 with Zeus's lightning bolt, click the repeat button, and a flash of light later, she completely disappeared. A ringing noise filled the air, and my surroundings all appeared in black. Re-appearing in the same spot sport twice was what I expected, but I was wrong. Instead, panicking astronauts could be seen circling there plane, making sure everything is ok, and preparing for takeoff. I hadn’t noticed my Dad yet, and I was feeling mixed emotions. Athena was gone, and this was my last chance for success. So caught up in the moment, nobody even seemed to notice my presence, and when the astronauts all boarded the plane, I couldn’t help but follow. Telling them that they’re going to crash, would definitely be disbelieved, and if I was even seen on the plane, I knew I was done. People from all around the world were watching broadcasts of this moon mission, and if messed anything up, people would definitely notice. Shelter was the next part of my journey, and after searching for a couple minutes, I found a hidden compartment near the control center in which I hid in. Drained of energy, I slowly closed my eyes, and after doing so, and I don’t think my life would ever be the same. 

I took two deep breaths and when I opened my eyes I was in the cockpit of a plane. My eyes widened, and I examined my surroundings, astonished at what I just achieved. My life was racing at such a fast pace, and it now just hit me that I was on a plane, in the middle of space.  It felt way too unimaginable to be true, and that led to my heart stopping completely. Zeus and Apollo’s voice had stormed into my mind, and I was hearing and seeing many different. All of a sudden, I went unconscious and my mind blacked out. It seemed like nobody had noticed because I didn’t receive any formal medical treatment when I’d awoken. I didn’t remember much about my black out, but when I woke up my body felt really shaken up. Putting me in a trance was all the panicking voices blaring in the background. Buttons beeping, people screaming, crying, and worried faces filling the room with a dark feeling that was getting me nervous. Something inside of me dared me to go get help, but my mind was in a flurry, and I still couldn’t process any thoughts, words, or anything else. Athena appeared next to me and said that I’d dropped dead on the floor, and that I’ve missed so much. I looked around and finally I realized exactly what was going on. The plane was on the verge of completely crash landing, and if I just came out of nowhere to help I may not be taken seriously. The oxygen level and altitude in the plane seemed to be decreasing, and my stomach was not handling it well. I glanced over and saw a bunch of panicking astronauts as well as the pilot who looked extremely lost in efforts to maintaining the plane. Immediately, my body directed me to go help him, and after all the hard work I’d put into reading space books about flying ships, the wonders of space, and everything my Dad taught me, I felt heavily prepared. So, I took on the challenge and I floated over to him, having to avoid the panicking bodies pacing the aircraft frantically. People gave me a suspicious look, but I proceeded to do what I knew was right. I went to pull a few levers, buttons, and controls, but I couldn’t get a grip on anything. I was invisible, but only I could experience it. People  watched in awe as my hands sunk right through all the controls, not being able to grip them. As I tried to push and pull on all of them, flashbacks occured of all the times my Dad talked to me about the function of each control and how it can be used in an emergency situation. With haste, I tried the emergency lever for the final time, but it was no use. I turned back to Athena, and she was gone. Unable to explain what was going on, the astronauts pushed me out the way, and couldn’t figure out what was going on. They claimed the controls weren’t working, and there was no way of slowing down the rate in which we were falling at. My heart sank, and the only though filling my mind was Apollo, and his genius plan, evidently coming to an end. 

Descending from the sky was an awful feeling. Panic was clearly evident and people began saying their goodbyes. As a kid, I was devastated hearing my Dad had passed, and now I experienced what he actually went through. I floated towards the bottom of the ship, and I felt completely helpless. Athena wouldn’t appear and the other gifts I’d received from the other couldn’t help me now. I closed my eyes and prayed to Zeus that I’m sorry for failing, and that my life ends here. But I may have spoken too soon. Appearing behind me was my Vlasis; my father. We stared at each other for a couple seconds, then came together for a hug. He was about to die, and I couldn’t even explain to him what had just happened. He whispered in my ear that he loves me, but wishes I would have never came. He told me this wasn’t a place for me to be, and that he felt guilty for not being a better parents. We were then notified our ship had been traveling so fast, it caught on fire and is headed for the Earth. I had to return to Mount Olympus, and my presence was being highly requested. I reached into my back pocket and pulled out the telescope, and Athena somehow managed to appear. The image of her was completely out of focus and staticky, and I could hear anything she said. However, whatever she was saying was being screamed, and I knew it was something important. Something about constellations I was able to pick up on , and that Zeus was going somewhere. Athena finally finished whatever she was saying, and I saw her hand waving at me, as tears began to form in her eyes. My Dad and I stood there, both equally as clueless. I wasn’t panicking too much, because I still had the TTM-1 and one of Zeus’s lightning bolts left over. In a hurry, I told both pieces out struck the TTM-1 with the bolt. Nothing happened. I tried again. Once again, nothing happened, Vlasis looked at me in awe, as he watched me struggle. This was the last time the two saw each other. 

Mount Olympus experienced one of the saddest and most dreadful next several months after Apollo’s vision was depleted. Zeus remained in his throne, reminiscing on this time, and ever since that day, Apollo was never spoken to by the Gods. Lazaros never returned, and it didn’t seem like time travel was going to happen any time soon. Apollo explained to the Gods what he thinks happened, but they were so stern with him, it didn’t seem like they’d ever get over it. He said that when Lazaros was in the plane with his Dad, the stars must have rearranged which caused the TTM-1 to malfunction. Apollo’s legacy and fate of the future was all dependant on this moment, and now time travel was forbidden forever.