bag and secured Rhaebus to a nearby tree .
‘ I won ’ t be long , my friend ,’ he uttered , as he petted his horse and ran towards Mount Olympus , not knowing that this would be a lie .
The foot of the mountain had a gradual slope . Diocles jogged upwards with ease – the soft earth melting with each step . However , after ascending the mountain for two hours , there was a problem . A vertical cliff stood directly in his path . He could walk back and find another path , but that would mean he would lose all the ground he had already covered . Diocles looked downwards to the faint , distant image of Rhaebus standing under the tree . He knew he had come too far to simply turn back .
He mustered all his courage and examined the cliff . It was tall – at least 50 metres and it had geometric bricks of rock that protruded throughout the whole face , speckled with emerald moss . Diocles grasped a rock-edge , raised himself up and found a foothold . Youthful alacrity sustained him as he repeated this motion on higher rocks , until he had eventually nearly reached the top of the vertical rock face .
It was then that the anomalous weather struck once again – this time at a furious magnitude and more ill-timed . The skies grew menacing , as thunder blared so loud , it sounded as if the fabric of heaven was being torn apart . Diocles trembled in fear as he clung onto the rocks like a child to his mother . The weather was not over . Three violent lightning bolts struck so close to Diocles his clothes were blackened .
Finally , after what seemed to be an eternity for Diocles , the weather cleared up . He began to consider whether this truly was a warning from Zeus . But again , he disregarded it . He would not let a suspicion make him turn back – at least not after the progress he had made . He slowed his paranoid breaths as he adjusted his grip on the rock face . He continued his ascent . The rest of the mountain – while physically draining – was manageable for Diocles . There were moments where his sandals slipped against the loose rocks of Olympus , however his diligence ensured he was in no more danger of harm . Finally , after six hours of climbing , he was within metres of the peak .
Diocles stopped and took some deep breaths to slow his heart rate ; the air was considerably thinner and cooler at the top of the mountain , making breathing more strenuous . He pivoted to face where he had climbed , and it dawned on him . His whole surrounding was white . He could see the earth he stood on , and the few remaining metres of his climb , but everything else – the whole sky , white . Never had Diocles seen such a pure tone of white – so bright he felt a cold sting in his eyes . He had been too engrossed in achieving the ascent , he hadn ’ t bothered to observe around him .
Thoughts sprinted through his head : Was he in heaven ? Was this the Gods ' domain ? Was it all true ? Was this a big mistake ? For the third time however , he made the blunder of ignoring his instinct . He concluded that he was simply in a dense mass of clouds .
Diocles turned back to face the summit , and slowly continued his ascent – his powerful strides turning to an ambivalent trudge . He took his final step as his foot landed on the first bit of flat earth in a long time . He had successfully climbed Mount Olympus and he was still alive . The summit of the mountain was flat but had large , jagged stones that protruded from the ground , like the teeth of a beast . The corners of Diocles ’ mouth formed an exhausted smile . He grew vain as he realised the truth : he was alone on the summit of Mount Olympus . There was no one else up there , let alone the Gods .
‘ I knew it ! The Gods truly never existed !’ Diocles proudly exclaimed to himself . Accomplished , he lay down on a large rock that abstractly sat on the summit , before something caught his eye . In the bright white sky above him , there was a faint electric-blue flicker . This flicker grew brighter and larger , until Diocles could see that this flicker belonged to a large , slowly descending lightning bolt , grasped in the powerful hand of Zeus .
Zeus continued to descend from the white skies , until – with a menacing thud , he landed on the summit , the whole mountain shaking at his power . He was colossal ; twice as tall and muscular as anyone Diocles had ever seen . He wore a white robe and had piercing gemstone eyes .
‘ You dare enter the domain of the Gods ?’ roared his tumultuous voice .
Diocles – now terrified – sat in shock and stared at the god , before impulsively turning and fleeing from the mountain , but Zeus wouldn ’ t let him get away . He blocked Diocles ’ path with a mighty throw of his bolt .
‘ And you try to flee from me ? You take me for a nymph ? I have been watching you since you laid your eyes on this sacred mountain . I gave you three warnings , yet you did not turn b ...’
‘ I ’ m sorry . Please spare me !’ Diocles interrupted – his voice was muffled under his sheer fright . ‘ I did not believe in your supreme existence . A … a … and I thought I was correct , as I didn ’ t see your kingdom on the summit .’
‘ We dwell above the summit . Above this white cloud .’ Zeus ’ rage slightly elevated . ‘ However none of this information will be of use , as you shall never see the face of the earth again .’
With that , Zeus planted his bolt into the ground as Diocles dropped to the terrain . His eyes slowly shut , as he took his last glimpse of Earth .
Unconscious from the impact , Diocles ’ drowsy eyes finally opened . It could have been hours , or days or even months – he wasn ’ t sure . His surroundings were unfamiliar . They were darkling and uncomfortably sultry , contrasting the bright mountain peak he was on before . He lazily stood up and observed his surroundings , before realising the mistake he had made .
‘ Zeus has sent us a new one , I see ,’ hissed the sinister voice of Hades . ‘ Welcome to the Underworld ’. He sat in a throne encrusted with spectral skulls . Black specks floated down to the ash-laden grounds , from fires burning in the distant and faint screams of agony filled the dark atmosphere . ‘ Zeus has told me of your disturbances . You are to climb a scorching cliff , every day , forever ; tenfold the height and suffering as the one you endured earlier .’
‘ Wait !’ Diocles begged , but with a vile chuckle , Hades snapped his fingers .
The realm twisted before Diocles . He now faced a cliff . It was dark as death and had sharp rocks that jutted out . He clung onto one – his hand burning from its immense heat – and began to climb . A tear rolled from his eye , as he realised he would suffer here for eternity . MARCUS PETER – YEAR 9
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