The Libyan dilemma (part 4)

Hermes quickly caught up with his brother as they left the court taking time to watch Heracles and figure out if his brother was up for the challenge. Whilst weighing up the odds of the outcome of the fight to follow he noticed his brother reaching for a jug of wine. Heracles fingers were just about to brush the clay jug, mouth salivating at the thought of tasting wine from the gods vineyard when it disappeared in front of his eyes placing his hand where the jug once was to steady himself.
“Hermes you fowl excuse for a brother hand me that jug!” Heracles stated like a drunk who has just been told he must leave the establishment he had invested his life savings into. Hermes stood proudly jug in both hands and slightly astonished he did not spill a drop.
“no I will not you need to be sober to train this isn’t a pun of the mill punch up with a lion Antaeus is invulnerable round Gaia” Hermes replied watching Heracles weigh up the marble slab the jug which Hermes now held was perched upon.
“How dare you I’m as strong as I ever was!” Heracles gloated lifting the marble slab, Heracles then squatted resting the solid stone on his shoulder and as a caber thrower would do in a manner only true power lifters wold appreciate launched the marble into the air hoping for it to land on Hermes.
“Really?” respired Hermes placing the jug down where he was standing, looking up to see the marble slab slowly drift towards the jug he had just placed down then stepping a few feet away from the impact zone he had predicted. Then watched the marble slab destroy the clay jug with, ease wine splashing at both their feet. Hermes now smiling cheekily at his brother who now had a face of despair.
“Now there is no wine may we commence with training, we only have a few days?” questioned Hermes
“alright then little brother a few days is all in need I am a demi god, I could be ready for a marathon after an afternoons training” Heracles said residing himself to the fact that wine was probably not on the cards for at least a week he would wait until his quest had finished he thought then kick the arse out of it.
“Sorry about the marble Hermes let’s get this thing out of the way”
“Fine by me don’t you worry about it shrugging off his brothers actions but letting him walk a few paces in front of him.

As Antaeus and Gaia edged towards their destination the trail of broken homes and bodies was forever growing, this mainly being the result of Antaeus becoming bored of Gaia not revealing her upcoming plan to him. All he knew was that his mother was taking him to see Hephaestus to do with a great and powerful weapon. The sun began to set as they began their approach on the outskirts of Damascus they could see the tracer rounds ricochet of buildings climbing towards the heavens amongst the sounds of humans testing each other morality.
“What the hades is going on should there be something I should know?” asked Antaeus
“don’t you worry Hephaestus triggered off a little uprising to make some money in his little arms trade, he has always had a good knack for stirring up the indigenous populace remember the mortals early nineteen hundreds he had a whale of a time” Gaia said remembering Hephaestus for his gifts to aid warfare.
“I suppose he has to earn a living somehow what sort of weapon has he built and what do we actually need it for?” questioned Antaeus trying to pry information from his mother.
“patience young man all you need to know for now is that once we have what we need we can begin our ascension” Gaia replied to an ever confused Antaeus, they now were on the verge of the violent circus that is the heart of Damascus.