The Return of the Titans by James Thompson Page A

wall was broken into sections,
separated by the torches. Justin counted them. There were twelve.
And each section held a huge portrait, not made of bronze or carved
like the walls of the Sanctuary hallways, but seemingly painted
directly on the marble. Above each portrait was a symbol, each one
different from the others.
    The four teens emerged from the staircase
and spread out, examining each portrait in turn. Justin noticed
that there were six men and six woman. Some were wearing robes, but
most were clad in elaborate armor. All held a weapon of some sort.
Their hair was long, the men as well as the women. Some were
blonde, one was a red-head, one was gray and the rest had black
hair.
    “Wow, Justin, look at this
guy!” Aaron exclaimed, pointing at the portrait of the red-headed
man.
    Justin walked over and stared. The man was
wearing armor so black that it looked dark blue. He was armed with
a spear, held as if he was about to attack. But it was the
expression on his face that seemed to have caught Aaron's
attention. It was animal-like, filled with hatred and brutality. He
almost seemed to be trying to leap from the wall.
    Both the boys took an involuntary step back.
“Wouldn't like to meet him in a dark alley!” Justin said.
    “Yeah, no kidding,” Aaron
agreed. “I wonder if that's his wife? She looks as mean as he
does.”
    The next portrait to the right was of a
woman. Aside from being blonde instead of a red-head, she was
dressing in armor similar to the man. But she was armed with a bow,
an arrow already notched and ready to shoot. Her expression
mirrored that of the spear wielder's.
    “Lovely couple,” Norm said
from behind them. Justin and Aaron both jumped and Norm chuckled.
“Sorry,” he said. “So what do you suppose this room is for
anyway?”
    Gerry walked over. “Beats me. Maybe it's a
temple or something. You know, like these are the Titan's gods or
whatever?”
    “Ancestors,” Justin said
quietly. The others looked at him.
    “Ancestors? What do you
mean, Justin?” Norm asked.
    “I think,” Justin spoke
hesitantly. “I think these are the ancestors of the Titans.” He
looked at the others who looked back at him with puzzled
expressions. He shrugged. “I don't know why, it just seems to fit
somehow.”
    “You are quite right, Mr.
McLeod.”
    The boys all jumped this time and turned to
look at the staircase. Mr. Fitzgerald was standing there, smiling
slightly. He walked over and joined the group.
    “These are the original
Titans, their first ancestors, if you will. From them sprung the
entire race. Or so legend says.”
    “Hi, Mr. Fitzgerald,”
Justin said, getting over his shock. “Um, I'm sorry. Are we not
supposed to be here? The door below wasn't locked.”
    “Of course you are allowed
here.” The man looked surprised at the question. “In fact, all of
you young people will be visiting this room in the next day or two.
You just happened to be the first ones to find it.”
    He stepped back and pointed to the
portraits. “Allow me to introduce you.” The first portrait he
indicated was of a huge man, with a long black beard. He wore armor
and held a sickle in both hands. “That is Cronus, the lord of the
Titans. Beside him to the right is Rhea, his wife.” The woman wore
luminous robes and a crescent moon hung in the sky over her
shoulder. She was armed with a scepter.
    “Next to her is Crius,
brother to Cronus.” This figure looked like a young man, wearing
black leather armor and holding two daggers. “Beside him is
Mnemosyne.” A woman stood there also wearing leather, but it was
light brown. She held a staff.
    “Coeus is next, called the
lord of intelligence.” This portrait showed an older man wearing
blue robes and, instead of a weapon, he held a scroll in one hand
and a quill in the other. “His sister,” Mr. Fitzgerald continued,
“stands next to him. Phoebe is her name.” A beautiful woman,
wearing bright white and lavender colored robes, smiled down