With a glow of power her hair and eyes became midnight black while her godly aura suppressed to the level of a minor demigod at best. With that she gave Nyx another nod before she closed her eyes and dissolved into the shadows.
Rhea sighed as she watched her go before muttering, "I hope I made the right choice …"
...
Percy stepped out of the shadow of a palm tree as he took in the sights. He remembered the last time he was here, on the island between Gibraltar and the gate to the Mare Nostrum. The beach was quiet and clean, a gentle breeze passing by.
Dawn had come recently and the last dregs of shadows were fading making Percy feel even more sore thanks to the remains of Medusa's curse. He rolled his shoulders as he walked along the fine sand, his hood up to keep his identity a secret.
'Now where is he?' he mused before spotting the subject of his search. There, down near the lapping waters of the beach stood Hercules.
His dirty blonde hair and trimmed beard waved in the breeze while his electric blue eyes remained cloudy from thought. Dressed in Bermuda trunks, opened beach shirt, and his iconic club impaled in the sand at his side.
Percy could tell that he was looking out at the sea morosely, a soft sigh escaping him as Percy approached near soundlessly. 'Okay … how to do this?' he thought awkwardly before he cleared his throat to get his attention.
At the sound Hercules wheeled around to look at him in surprise before he grabbed his club in reflex and leveled a glare at Percy.
"Who are you stranger?" he asked while taking a defensive stance.
"Someone who wants to talk," Percy replied while raising his hands to seem less threatening.
"About what?" Hercules asked suspiciously without taking a step. "And how did you get here in fact? You feel like a demigod and yet I didn't see a vessel or even detect your presence on arrival."
"I shadow traveled and maybe my power was too low for you to bother," Percy replied with a shrug.
"A very likely story," Hercules retorted while watching him closely. "Tell me, why shouldn't I beat you to an inch of your life and drag you back to Olympus?"
"Wouldn't that require you being able to leave this island?" Percy shot back with a tiny smirk. "You're no better than Calypso with this island. The Gate Keeper of Olympus … how grand," Percy drawled while crossing his arms.
Hercules started to turn a golden shade with anger before gritting out, "Are you trying to die?"
"No, however," Percy said with a raised finger, "how about this? We'll fight. No powers or weapons. Just a good old fist to fist. If you win, I'll remain while you summon the Olympians. If I win, you need to do one request for me.
Afterwards, you're free to do as you wish … or whatever it is you even can do on this island."
Hercules studied him intently for a few moments before snorting, "Fine." He then tossed his club aside, stripped his shirt to reveal his overly large muscle.
Percy scoffed at the failed attempt to intimidate him before he uncrossed his arms and stood at the ready. They looked at each other for a few moments before Hercules suddenly ran forward.
Percy watched as Hercules closed in and sent a haymaker but he ducked right under it as Hercules stumbled past him. He then waited as Hercules returned with growing anger, making jabs and grabs but Percy was a weasel.
He weaved in and out of Hercules' grasp with bored ease, even going as far as to tuck his hands into his jean pockets while his eyes glowed in amusement underneath his hood.
Occasionally he would throw a returning jab, nailing Hercules in the nose, the kidney, the sternum, and the temple. Hercules shrugged most off but Percy could see that the damage was slowly building.
Hercules was getting sloppier, sometimes stumbling whenever Percy got a good hit at his face and his posture was starting to slump while Percy looked as fresh as a spring daisy. He smirked a little before deciding to throw a taunt after Hercules missed a punch by a wide margin.
"Come on. I came all the way to see you here! Make it worthwhile," Percy goaded making Hercules turn golden even more as went for a wild tackle.
Percy chuckled as he jumped and used his hand to vault over the moving tower of muscle, smacking the back of his head all the while.
"Olay!" Percy shouted with a mock bow, making Hercules roar in rage as he charged again.
His time Percy gave him a smirk that some would call sinister as he caught each of Hercules' hands in his own while grounding his feet into the sand below him. The momentum of the charge pushed him back though, his feet leaving deep trenches in the beach until Hercules slowed to a stop with his hands still locked with Percy's.
"My turn," Percy snickered before applying full force to his hands, bending Hercules' fingers back as he released a pained grunt.
Hercules may have been strong by godly standards but when compared to the likes of Tartarus and even Nyx … well, he wasn't anything special.
Knowing that, Percy kept the pressure until Hercules dropped to one knee. Once there, Percy raised his knee and smashed it into Hercules' face. A satisfying crunch marked the recently broken nose as Hercules groaned but Percy wasn't done yet.
He then turned around as he pulled Hercules along before slamming the god of Strength straight into the beach. The impact formed a deep crater while making the whole island shake slightly as dust and sand billowed around them.
Percy then finally released his grip on Hercules and stood straight, marveling at the still conscious god even as he moaned in pain. 'Well, at least he can definitely take a hit,' Percy mused as he stepped around the hulking man before setting his foot near Hercules' throat.
"Yield?" Percy asked calmly while looking down at the bested god.
Hercules looked at him past some ichor that had fallen into his eyes from the pretty little cut he got on his head before nodding slowly.
"Alright then," Percy clapped enthusiastically. "Then my request is this; I want to hear your story."
"W-what?" Hercules asked in confusion as he slowly sat up while gingerly touching his forehead.
"You heard me," Percy replied while plopping down beside the god.
"But I'm sure you know …"
"I don't mean the Hercules, great hero who completed the 12 labors. I mean the man that lived as a hero before it all happened. Before the murder of his family after a vengeful goddess cursed him with madness, before his life was turned into a living hell of betrayal and manipulation only to then be cast aside.
I want to know the man who once wore the name Heracles with pride and was the true hero demigods should strive to be," Percy said seriously while looking intently at the shocked god.
Hercules openly gapped at him, his eyes showing his disbelief at the request. Percy for his part kept his expression as serious as possible. Even though he found the face Hercules was making hilarious, he didn't want the god to think that he was making fun of him in this request.
They remained silent for some time until Hercules sighed while running a hand through his disheveled hair.
"I don't think anyone has ever asked about that before," he muttered as he looked out at the beach and sea beyond.
"Well them that makes me special as the first," Percy replied before grinning. "I'll even sweeten the deal and show you who I am after you finish. Sound good?"
Hercules glanced at him before smirking. "Yeah, that'll do."
"So…" Percy intoned with a rolling hand.
"Hmm … where to begin?" Hercules said while looking up at the sky. "I guess that it all started when I was just a boy. Everyone knows about those serpents she sent after me when I was but a baby.
After that failed attempt I think I was left alone with my mother, Alcmene, well into my early childhood. I remember meeting father for the first time but it was brief and I didn't really connect him with the king of the gods until later on.
I grew up like any other boy at the time. Loud, energetic, getting into trouble at every turn and generally driving mother crazy … but I did have a sort of father figure at those times."
Hercules paused as he glanced at his hands sadly.
"I never really did appreciate him enough. A wise old hunter he was by the name of Garic. Mother didn't let herself get involved with any men in case of father's wrath but Garic was old and wasn't interested himself so it wasn't a worry for him to visit often," Hercules told with a hint of nostalgia in his voice.
"Taught me to hunt and shoot, gave me a whooping once or twice when I was getting bigheaded … hehe … he knew I was stronger but I respected him too much to do anything and I usually deserved it anyways.
But … when I was around 12, I remember father visiting again to see how I was doing."
Hercules paused as he grimaced slightly. "He didn't like the sound of anyone being around me that could fill my head with 'dangerous ideas' as he put it. Turns out when a man teaches you to have humility and offer your services to those in need is dangerous by Olympian standards.
I didn't realize it then but suddenly Garic wasn't around anymore … and then the first monsters came when I learned the truth of who my father really was… Then the monsters started to attack in force."
Hercules glanced at Percy, his jaws tight as he continued on. "I fought my first hellhound. Smashed the thing under a cart. Soon more came and I got battle hardened fast.
Used my bow a fair amount too and it went like that for several years. By then I'd developed a small reputation as a monster slayer but also a helper. Logging, hunting, building, anything that could put my strength and hard-learned skills to good use."
"Was glory not your goal though?" Percy asked with a raised eyebrow … not that Hercules could see it.
"Hmph … at the time, no," Hercules answered. "In truth I was rather happy with the peace and quiet, granted with the monsters it wasn't necessarily boring either.
I just wanted my village and mother to be safe after all, it was my home and practically raised me while my father was probably off knocking up other women," Hercules practically spat the last sentence.
"He visited from time to time, usually before I would offer my services for work.
He would go on how it was beneath me and all that but I never saw anything wrong with it. Garic taught me the joy and self-satisfaction of a hard day's work. I was proud of the things I helped build and protect."
"Makes me wish this part had been in your legend," Percy murmured as he looked critically at Hercules.
"Ha!" Hercules boomed as he clapped Percy on the shoulder. "Well what could you expect? Mortals are always drawn to the bigger and shinier tales and usually forget the humble beginnings.
The only reason anyone knows part of my birth was thanks to those damned snakes. But yes, it is a pity." Hercules then sighed again as he looked at the sea. "Of course after some years I met … her."
"Her?" Percy asked as he leaned closer curiously.
"Yes, her …" Hercules murmured with a pained glint in his eyes. "My wife …"
"And her name was?" Percy asked.
"I can't remember it," he answered.
"Why?" Percy asked with a frown.
"You know what I did," Hercules replied as he looked at Percy. "I murdered her and our children."
"But you were cursed," Percy countered.
"Then I should have been stronger!" Hercules snapped back before taking a deep breath. "I should have been stronger but in the end I was made a puppet. So, for my crime, I forced myself to forget her and my children's names … I don't deserve to even utter them."
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