Piper's POV
The Argo II was only a few hundred yards from the columns now. "Need an answer," Leo said urgently. "I can turn, or we can take off. The stabilizers are working again. But I need to know quick-"
"We have to keep going," Annabeth said. "I think he's guarding these straits. If that's really Hercules, sailing or flying away wouldn't do any good. He'll want to talk to us."
"Talking is far behind us." Zoe said. "I will go down there, come between the relationship his head has with his shoulders, and then we shall be on our way." Piper looked at the normally calm and composed Zoe.
She was scared to death to see the look on the girls face. Piper resisted the urge to use charmspeak. She wanted to yell at Leo: Fly! Get us out of here! Unfortunately, she had a feeling that Annabeth was right. If they wanted to pass into the Mediterranean, they couldn't avoid this meeting.
"Won't Hercules be on our side?" she asked hopefully. "I mean...he's one of us, right?" "Not once I get my hands on him." Zoe murmured, murderous rage plastered on her face. As (Y/N) looked at the god on shore, he offered a proposal to the rest of his crew.
"I say we all jump him." "I'm up for it." Percy said, "So am I, who are we killing?" Hedge said. "I'll go get my bat." "Great," Percy said. "Nine demigods against Hercules." "And a satyr!" Hedge added. "We can take him."
"I've got a better idea," Annabeth said. "We send ambassadors ashore. A small group-one or two at most. Try to talk with him." "TALK WITH HIM. TALK!" Zoe roared. "The only thing I want to hear that man say to me are his last words!"
Annabeth turned to Zoe. Her expression softening, "Zoe, please. We need to talk to him first." She said calmly. "No. I have searched for this for years, longer than any of you have been alive, you don't understand! You cannot understand the depths of hatred I have for that man."
"All these years!" She shouted, "I have dreamed of one thing, I have worked towards one thing, now it is within my grasp, I will not let any of you get in the way of that. He dies today. Now!" Zoe took a step past Annabeth, as if she was going to jump ship and swim towards her enemy.
It was Percy that stopped her, "Zoe, she's right." He said quietly. Taking her hand, she seemed to calm down, tears brimming her eyes, "I have to." She said brokenly, "I have to know why." He pulled her into a hug.
Annabeth and (Y/N) both joined them, enveloping Zoe in a hug as she fought back tears, "You will." (Y/N) said. "We're with you. To the end. We can face him, together." Percy promised. Piper and the others were a little confused.
"What's going on? Did I miss something?" Leo said bluntly. They all turned to glare at him, save for Zoe herself, who laughed. But not the demented one from before, her normal laugh, one Piper had heard before. "Nothing Leo."
"I shall go to shore and speak with Heracles. Who wishes to join me?" "I'll go with you." Percy offered, but Zoe shook her head, "No, seeing you next to him, I'm afraid it will cause me to act rashly. It will remind me of his torment."
"That man only respects the strength of others. For this fact alone, (Y/N) should accompany whoever is to meet him." "I mean, if you insist, but I won't promise I can keep my cool either. My body's already telling me that we should be pulling him apart by now."
"I'll go too," Jason said. "He's a son of Zeus. I'm the son of Jupiter. Maybe he'll be friendly to me." "Or maybe he'll hate you," Percy suggested. "Half brothers don't always get along."
Jason scowled. "Thank you, Mr. Optimism." "It's worth a shot," Annabeth said. "At least Jason and Hercules have something in common. And we need our best diplomat. Somebody who's good with words."
All eyes turned to Piper. She tried to avoid screaming and jumping over the side. A bad premonition gnawed at her gut. But if Jason was going ashore, she wanted to be with him. Maybe this hugely powerful god would turn out to be helpful. They had to have good luck once in a while, didn't they? "Fine," she said. "Just let me change my clothes."
Once Leo had anchored the Argo II between the pillars, Jason summoned the wind to carry him and Piper ashore. (Y/N) flew himself and Zoe to the shore. The man in purple was waiting for them.
Piper had heard tons of stories about Hercules. She'd seen several cheesy movies and cartoons. Before today, if she had thought about him at all, she'd just roll her eyes and imagine some stupid hairy dude in his thirties with a barrel chest and a gross hippie beard, with a lion skin over his head and a big club, like a cave man.
She imagined he would smell bad, belch, and scratch himself a lot, and speak mostly in grunts. She was not expecting this. His feet were bare, covered in white sand. His robes made him look like a priest, though Piper couldn't remember which rank of priest wore purple.
Was that cardinals? Bishops? And did the purple color mean he was the Roman version of Hercules rather than the Greek? His beard was fashionably scruffy, like Piper's dad and his actor friends wore theirs.
The sort of I just happened not to shave for two days and I still look awesome look. He was well built, but not too stocky. His ebony hair was close-cropped, Roman style. He had startling blue eyes like Jason's, but his skin was coppery, as if he'd spent his entire life on a tanning bed.
The most surprising thing: he looked about twenty. Definitely no older. He was handsome in a rugged but not-at-all-caveman way. He did in fact have a club, which lay in the sand next to him, but it was more like an oversized baseball bat.
A five-foot-long polished cylinder of mahogany with a leather handgrip studded in bronze. Coach Hedge would have been jealous. Jason and Piper landed at the edge of the surf. (Y/N) landed beside them
"Are you ready for this?" He asked Zoe. "Just say the word and I can take you back, or say the other word and I go get Percy and the others to stomp the life out of him." Zoe chuckled, "The second option sounds fun. But I will be fine. I've prepared for this moment for decades."
They approached slowly, careful not to make any threatening moves. Hercules watched them with no particular emotion, as if they were some form of seabird he had never noticed before. "Hello," Piper said. Always a good start.
"What's up?" Hercules said. His voice was deep but casual, very modern. He could've been greeting them in the high school locker room. "Uh, not much." Piper winced. "Well, actually, a lot. I'm Piper. This is Jason. We-"
"Where's your lion skin?" Jason interrupted. Piper wanted to elbow him, but Hercules looked more amused than annoyed. "It's ninety degrees out here," he said. "Why would I wear my lion skin? Do you wear a fur coat to the beach?"
"I guess that makes sense." Jason sounded disappointed. "It's just that the pictures always show you with a lion skin." Hercules glared at the sky accusingly, like he wanted to have words with his father, Zeus.
"Don't believe everything you hear about me. Being famous isn't as fun as you might think." "Really, and here I thought you relished the fame you once coveted." Zoe said coldly. He looked at (Y/N), then to her. His brow furrowed.
"You, you're the kid they got to replace me." He said, pointing at (Y/N), who seemed just as shocked to be spoken to over Zoe. "Replacement?" "Yeah, they gave you trials like they gave me them right?"
"Yeah. But for the record, I wasn't your replacement, if anything. I was the upgrade." Hercules laughed. "Oh yeah, is that why you had to do so many trials to prove yourself, I only had to do twelve. So who's the upgrade?"
"I didn't do them to prove myself, I did them to...Oh forget it." He said as Piper tried to get them back on track. "I'm surprised you're so young." She said quickly. "Ha! Being immortal helps. But, yes, I wasn't so old when I died."
"Not by modern standards. I did a lot during my years as a hero...too much, really." His eyes drifted to Jason. "Son of Zeus, eh?" "Jupiter," Jason said. "Not much difference," Hercules grumbled.
"Dad's annoying in either form. Me? I was called Heracles. Then the Romans came along and named me Hercules. I didn't really change that much, though lately just thinking about it gives me splitting headaches..."
The left side of his face twitched. His robes shimmered, momentarily turning white, then back to purple. "Heracles, Hercules, who cares, I'm pretty much the same both ways. Call me whatever. At any rate," Hercules said, "if you're Jupiter's son, you might understand. It's a lot of pressure. Enough is never enough. Eventually it can make a guy snap."
He turned to Piper. She felt like a thousand ants were crawling up her back. There was a mixture of sadness and darkness in his eyes that seemed not quite sane, and definitely not safe. "As for you, my dear," Hercules said, "be careful. Sons of Zeus can be...well, never mind."
(Y/N)'s POV
"Petty? Shallow? Devoid of any real emotion?" Zoe said under her breath. "Zoe?" Hercules said, like he had seen a ghost. For a second, when she first saw him, there was a pause, (Y/N) worried about Zoe.
The second he spoke to her, the expression on her face changed, he wondered if she had been gravely mistaken, that she didn't want to see him, that it just brought back terrible memories for her. Until she scoffed.
"My gods I barely recognise you" he said. There was a worried air that began to grow as Zoe asked. "Oh. Is that so? But you do recognise me." Hercules nodded. "You've gained weight." Hercules said like it was funny.
She frowned at him, pursing her lips. "It's called growing up. You should have tried it while you had the chance." "Little rich coming from you isn't it? Aren't you older than me?" "Well, I'm certainly more mature."
(Y/N), Piper and Jason all shared a glance. This conversation was quickly taking a turn, and had gone from what was a peaceful negotiation to an awkward strand off between what might as well have been two disgruntled exes.
"I heard you were palling it up with Artemis now. What are you doing here? Come to see me?" He said with a sleazy smile that made (Y/N) want to ring his neck. He looked at Zoe, trying to ask her if they could just kill him now and be done with it.
She shook her head. Her expression hardening as she spoke with a quiet anger. But (Y/N) could feel the resentment and hatred from here, he knew it was only a matter of time before Zoe struck him.
"I have dreamed of our meeting for many years." Zoe admitted. "There is something I wish to ask you. Do you remember when last we spoke?" The son of Zeus frowned like he was trying to recall the memory.
That movement alone made (Y/N), and Zoe too he was sure, unfathomably angry. He had ruined her life, he had caused her so much pain. But he couldn't even have the decency to remember how it had happened.
"Why did you do it?" She asked with genuine heartbreak in her voice. "Do what?" He asked and (Y/N) was sure that was going to be the point where Zoe snapped, but she kept her composure for a few moments longer.
"You don't remember?" She said, her voice rising a little. "I remember you helping me with Atlas. So what of it?" He shrugged, swinging his club absentmindedly. As if he'd rather have been anywhere but here.
"What of it? What of it!" Zoe began "I betrayed my family for you, went against my own father, my sisters, everything I knew, everything I stood for in order to help you!" She shouted. He nodded, "Yeah, thanks I guess."
"I was shunned, disowned. Cast aside on your behalf." "Yeah, I already said thanks-" "You promised me a life. A good life, away from them, the freedom I always sought. Away from the torment of my father."
"You swore to me, that you would take me away from that place, to show me the world in exchange for helping you. You promised me love, respect, and a life unending. Then you abandoned me, left me to stew and toil in my torment!"
"I waited, I suffered through everything, waiting for YOU! For what you promised me! Where were you, great hero? As I suffered? Where were you? Walking off into the distance, caring not for the destruction and collateral damage left in your wake. Worrying not about the promises you shattered that day."
"So I will ask again." She said, deathly calm, "Why. Why did you say all of that to me? What good did it do you when I betrayed the only family I had for your sake? Why would you do that to anyone?"
"That dragon thing was tough. Of course I could have beat it. But, after dealing with that thing, and then Atlas. I was tired.-" "Ladon" Zoe interrupted. "Excuse you?" He said as though he couldn't fathom anyone daring to interrupt him.
"His name is Ladon." Zoe began approaching him with a sinister fury in her calm voice. The meat head shrugged. Zoe's lip began to quiver but not from fear or sadness, but anger. Anyone with a brain could see she was shaking with rage. Hercules could not.
He just kept talking. Wrapped up in the story of his own prize fight. "So there was no real reason? No deed you had to overcome of upmost urgency, no town to save or beast to slay." She said quietly.
"You took everything from me. For nothing." "Oh please. Don't try to put this on me. That was your decision. I didn't need your help." "Perhaps not. But you asked for it nonetheless. You left me alone, shunned by a family I loved, cast away by those who raised me."
"My sisters hated me, shunned me, cursed me and tormented me, my father banished me from my home. And you got to walk away." Everything went deadly quiet. He was sure this was it, but she just looked at the ground, processing, as Piper moved on.
Piper's POV
Piper tried to maintain a calm, polite expression. Even though she wanted nothing more than to stab Hercules, she said "So, Lord Hercules, we're on a quest. We'd like permission to pass into the Mediterranean." Hercules shrugged.
"That's why I'm here. After I died, Dad made me the doorkeeper of Olympus. I said, Great! Palace duty! Party all the time! What he didn't mention is that I'd be guarding the doors to the ancient lands, stuck on this island for the rest of eternity. Lots of fun."
"Sounds to me like he was ashamed of you." Zoe said, "Sounds to me like you should shut your mouth. It's rude to interrupt." The air got a little bit colder. Hercules looked at (Y/N), "Don't bother knock off, I could crack your ship in half from here."
"I'm about to crack your head in half." (Y/N) said, Piper got in between them, "There's no need for that, I'm sorry lord Hercules, you were saying?" "I'm not saying anything with these two here." Hercules demanded.
"Fine. (Y/N), take me back please. I want to speak with Percy." Zoe said quietly. He nodded, taking her hand and getting ready to take off, as they did, Hercules made a comment, shouting it at them in the end when they paid him no mind.
But before they took off Zoe looked at Hercules one more time, with utter distain, now with an angry fire burning across her expression as she said proudly, "This isn't over. I shall return for you." "I'll be waiting." Hercules said, before realizing.
"Wait. You're kidding me right Zoe? Percy, as in Poseidon's brat? The guy who couldn't even save Olympus properly, TALK ABOUT A DOWNGRADE." (Y/N) grit his teeth at the comment, but Zoe seemed entirely unbothered. "Where was I?"
He pointed at the pillars rising from the surf. "Stupid columns. Some people claim I created the whole Strait of Gibraltar by shoving mountains apart. Some people say the mountains are the pillars. What a bunch of Augean manure. The pillars are pillars."
"Right," Piper said. "Naturally. So...can we pass?" The god scratched his fashionable beard. "Well, I have to give you the standard warning about how dangerous the ancient lands are. Not just any demigod can survive the Mare Nostrum."
"Because of that, I have to give you a quest to complete. Prove your worth, blah, blah, blah. Honestly, I don't make a big deal of it. Usually I give demigods something simple like a shopping trip, singing a funny song, that sort of thing. After all those labors I had to complete for my evil cousin Eurystheus, well...I don't want to be that guy, you know?"
"Appreciate it," Jason said. "Hey, no problem." Hercules sounded relaxed and easy going, but he still made Piper nervous. That dark glint in his eyes reminded her of charcoal soaked in kerosene, ready to go up at a moment's notice.
"So anyway," Hercules said, "what's your quest?" "Giants," Jason said. "We're off to Greece to stop them from awakening Gaea." "Giants," Hercules muttered. "I hate those guys. Back when I was a demigod hero...ah, but never mind."
"So which god put you up to this-Dad? Athena? Maybe Aphrodite?" He raised an eyebrow at Piper. "As pretty as you are, I'm guessing that's your mom." Piper should've been thinking faster, but Hercules had unsettled her. Too late, she realized the conversation had become a minefield.
"Hera sent us," Jason said. "She brought us together to-" "Hera." Suddenly Hercules's expression was like the cliffs of Gibraltar-a solid, unforgiving sheet of stone. "We hate her too," Piper said quickly. Gods, why hadn't it occurred to her?
Hera had been Hercules's mortal enemy. "We didn't want to help her. She didn't give us much choice, but-" "But here you are," Hercules said, all friendliness gone. "Sorry, you two. I don't care how worthy your quest is. I don't do anything that Hera wants. Ever."
"So anyway. If you want to pass into the Mediterranean, I'm afraid I've got to give you an extra-hard quest." "Can't you do us a solid? We're like brothers," Jason protested. "Hera's messed with my life, too. I understand-"
"You understand nothing," Hercules said coldly. "My first family: dead. My life wasted on ridiculous quests. My second wife dead, after being tricked into poisoning me and leaving me to a painful demise."
"And my compensation? I got to become a minor god. Immortal, so I can never forget my pain. Stuck here as a gate-keeper, a doorman, a...a butler for the Olympians. No, you don't understand."
"The only god who understands me even a little bit is Dionysus. And at least he invented something useful. I have nothing to show except bad film adaptations of my life." Piper turned on the charmspeak.
"That's horribly sad, Lord Hercules. But please go easy on us. We're not bad people." She thought she'd succeeded. Hercules hesitated. Then his jaw tightened, and he shook his head. "On the opposite side of this island, over those hills, you'll find a river. In the middle of that river lives the old god Achelous."
Hercules waited, as if this information should send them running in terror. "And... ?" Jason asked. "And," Hercules said, "I want you to break off his other horn and bring it to me." "He has horns," Jason said. "Wait...his other horn? What-?"
"Figure it out," the god snapped. "Here, this should help." He said the word help like it meant hurt. From under his robes, Hercules took a small book and tossed it to Piper. She barely caught it.
The book's glossy cover showed a photographic montage of Greek temples and smiling monsters. The Minotaur was giving the thumbs-up. The title read: The Hercules Guide to the Mare Nostrum.
"Bring me that horn by sundown," Hercules said. "Just the two of you. No contacting your friends. Your ship will remain where it is. If you succeed, you may pass into the Mediterranean."
"And if we don't?" Piper asked, pretty sure she didn't want the answer. "Well, Achelous will kill you, obviously," Hercules said. "And I will break your ship in half with my bare hands and send your friends to an early grave."
Jason shifted his feet. "Couldn't we just sing a funny song?" "I'd get going," Hercules said coldly. "Sundown. Or your friends are dead."
(Y/N)'s POV
The flight back was short, but was spend in silence. As they landed, (Y/N) turned to Zoe, she collapsed to her knees and wailed in rage, hitting the floor and blowing a hole in the ship as she did. "FOR NOTHING!" She roared.
(Y/N) approached her cautiously, wishing Percy was around right now. He placed a hand on Zoe's shoulder, "Hey, remember what I told you, he isn't worth your tears." He said as he noticed them falling.
She stared up at him, only for him to pull her to her feet. "It's okay to be upset-" "-I'm not upset. I'm angry." She said harshly. "That was all I needed from him before his demise, I wanted to know why he did what he did."
"Can we jump him now?" "Later." She said, looking out over the two pillars. "He separated us for a reason, and the threats regarding his strength were no bluff. Even if we protected the ship, he would kill Piper and Jason before we got to them."
"Hercules is not someone to be toyed with, it is how he became so famous. Many underestimated him due to his brash nature, only to fall into his trap." "So you think he'll go after Jason and Piper."
"If left unchecked, yes, it is likely he will use them to further his own goals, and then turn on us regardless, I could tell by his face, he was not happy to see me, he will not pass up an opportunity to humiliate both me and Hera at once."
"So what do we do?" "Give him a reason he cannot go after them, and get to them first," Zoe said with a smile. "Go, prepare yourself. I must speak with Percy, after we reconvene, you will have your chance, and I shall have mine."
After putting on some armour, (Y/N) decided to check on Hazel, she was fine for the most part, but clearly worried about her brother, (Y/N) didn't tell her not to be, that would have gotten her nowhere, but he did tell her to have faith in them.
He also recruited her, Frank, Leo and Hedge to their cause, explaining the plan that Zoe had in turn explained to him. They didn't have much context, but were all for it if it helped their friends.
Lastly, (Y/N) went down to check on Annabeth, finding her darting around her room, her laptop open, researching Hercules, while also running diagnostics on possible locations for the Mark of Athena."
"Out!" She said when she saw him, "I need you out of here remember!" As she tried to push him from the doorframe, (Y/N) noticed the manic expression on her face. "I just came to check up on you." "I'm fine! You can go now." "Annabeth, talk to me."
"I don't have time, I'm-" "Late, late for a very important date?" He chuckled, walking into her room, "No. I'm busy. The romans are still probably preparing for war, and Reyna's heading to camp half blood so we don't really have the time to talk. I have to-"
He sighed deeply, grabbing her by the wrist, stopping her from darting around the place like a woman possessed. "(Y/N) I need to do this, Heracles has slowed us down by hours and I hadn't planned for it, so I have to-"
She tried to pull away from him, but he walked forward and pulled her into a hug. "It's okay. Everything's going to be fine." He muttered gently. "Breathe." He told her. Her face contorted into a deeply set frown, the moment she stopped, it was like it all caught up to her.
Tears brimming in her eyes, an expression that wordlessly said "How very dare you make me feel feelings right now, don't you know I have two decades of planning to do?" In a very small voice, she said "I have to be ready."
As a tear forced it's way from her eye, many more began to follow, with them, the cracks began to show in her mask of being 'okay' Tired and quiet sobs escaped her lips, "There she is, there's my wise girl." He said as he did his best not to cry too, wiping away her tears.
"I thought you might die!" She said suddenly, and (Y/N) understood that was why she was keeping herself busy with everything else. "I'm here." He promised, "And I'm not going anywhere. Promise."
"Now sit down, shut up, and breathe." Normally this would have gotten him a punch, but she was far too emotional for that right now, kissing him instead, "You idiot!" She cried. "That works too I suppose."
He smiled, touching her face gently as she wiped her tears on her arm, she took a deep breath, and (Y/N) could tell she was about to get straight back to work. As far as she was concerned, her feelings were vented. Typical Annabeth.
But he knew her better than that. "You shouldn't bottle things up like that. Hidden feelings can get you-OW!" He said dramatically as she lightly jabbed him in the arm. "You don't get to lecture me after nearly blowing yourself into pieces."
"Yeah, not one of my best plans. But I'm serious Annabeth, don't work yourself into the dirt, there are plenty of us on the ship, you don't have to do it all alone-" "-Well, technically this is one thing I absolutely do have to do on my own."
He sighed, "Yes, but you know what I mean! I've told you before, you're not Atlas y'know, you don't have to hold onto every burden, that's what we're here for." "To do my grunt work. Yeah I know, why do you think I keep you around?" She said.
Her voice going to it's normal teasing tone. "You're only my boyfriend so I don't have to carry my stuff in capture the flag." she turned her nose up dramatically with the airs of a princess. He half expected her to flip her hair.
He shuddered, "What?" She asked, dropping the act, "Nothing that just...hit a little close to home." He explained, thinking about some of the more superficial members of his family. "Anyway, you are ready, I know what you're scared of Annabeth, but don't be. We're all with you."
"You guys put too much faith in me, I don't know if I can do it." She said "Nobody's found it in hundreds of years before me, children of Athena have been trying for decades." "Yeah, but those children of Athena weren't Annabeth freaking Chase." He said, trying to lift her spirits.
"Y'know I heard she rebuilt Olympus in her own image." She giggled, "I didn't build it in my image you dork. Do you even know what that means?" He just shook his head and continued as a smile slowly spread across her face.
"Oh, and also she's a hero of the titan war. And the successor of Daedalus, and she held the sky for like, a week. She sailed the sea of monsters, she retrieved Zeus's master bolt. All in what, half a decade give or take?"
"Now I don't know about you, but I think she's pretty awesome. And I think that Athena put her on this path because the goddess of wisdom is a smart cookie who put her faith in her amazing daughter. Because if she knows one thing about Annabeth Freaking Chase, it's that once she sets her mind to something, there is no force on this earth that can stop her."
She was eager to change the topic, blushing a little, "So how'd the meeting with Heracles go? Did you ask him to sing the song like you wanted him to." "No, the mood was too serious."
"He's not as buff as I expected. If he's that strong, the guy must pop 'roids like they're tic-tac's." "Steroids are typically injected-" Annabeth corrected, "Really? Gross. Other than that, nothing major to report."
"Except, y'know what...the guy might be the biggest tool I've ever seen in my life, but I see it..." "See what?" Annabeth asked as they cleaned up her room together and prepared for a fight. "The appeal..." (Y/N) elaborated.
"He reminds me of Clarisse, or Adonis...I get it." She looked immensely puzzled. "What's this about Clarisse?" Annabeth said with a raised eyebrow. (Y/N) jumped at the sound of her voice, snapping himself out of his thought process.
He just pointed to Hercules on the screen of Annabeth's laptop..."I mean..." He gestured to the man's torso..."I mean c'mon, you know...look at him." "What has this got to do with Clarisse?" Annabeth said with a deadly edge to her voice.
"Oh no...Zoe's calling for me, time's up. I have to go deal with that now..." (Y/N) said, scurrying forward and out the door as fast as he could.
Piper's POV
The Hercules guide to the Mare Nostrum didn't help much with snakes and mosquitoes. "If this is a magic island," Piper grumbled, "why couldn't it be a nice magic island?"
They tromped up a hill and down into a heavily wooded valley, careful to avoid the black-and-red-striped snakes sunning themselves on the rocks. Mosquitoes swarmed over stagnant ponds in the lowest areas.
The trees were mostly stunted olives, cypress, and pines. The chirring of the cicadas and the oppressive heat reminded Piper of the rez in Oklahoma during the summer. So far they hadn't found any river.
"We could fly," Jason suggested again. "We might miss something," Piper said. "Besides, I'm not sure I want to drop in on an unfriendly god. What was his name? Etch-a-Sketch?" "Achelous." Jason was trying to read the guidebook while they walked, so he kept running into trees and stumbling over rocks.
"Says here he's a potamus." "He's a hippopotamus?" "No. Potamus. A river god. According to this, he's the spirit of some river in Greece." "Since we're not in Greece, let's assume he's moved," Piper said. "Doesn't bode well for how useful that book is going to be. Anything else?"
"Says Hercules fought him one time," Jason offered. "Hercules fought ninety-nine percent of everything in Ancient Greece." "Yeah. Let's see. Pillars of Hercules..." Jason flipped a page. "Says here this island has no hotels, no restaurants, no transportation."
"Attractions: Hercules and two pillars. Huh, this is interesting. Supposedly the dollar sign-you know, the S with the two lines through it?-that came from the Spanish coat of arms, which showed the Pillars of Hercules with a banner curling between them."
Great, Piper thought. Jason finally gets along with Annabeth, and her brainiac tendencies start rubbing off on him. "Anything helpful?" she asked. "Wait. Here's a tiny reference to Achelous: This river god fought Hercules for the hand of the beautiful Deianira."
"During the struggle, Hercules broke off one of the river god's horns, which became the first cornucopia." "Corn of what?" "It's that Thanksgiving decoration," Jason said. "The horn with all the goodies spilling out?"
"We have some in the mess hall at Camp Jupiter. I didn't know the original one was actually some guy's horn." "And we're supposed to take his other one," Piper said. "I'm guessing that won't be so easy. Who was Deianira?"
"Hercules married her," Jason said. "I think...doesn't say here. But I think something bad happened to her." Piper remembered what Hercules had told them: his first family dead, his second wife dead after being tricked into poisoning him. She was liking this challenge less and less.
They trudged across a ridge between two hills, trying to stay in the shade; but Piper was already soaked with perspiration. The mosquitoes left welts on her ankles, arms, and neck, so she probably looked like a smallpox victim.
She'd finally gotten some alone time with Jason, and this was how they spent it. She was irritated with Jason for having mentioned Hera, but she knew she shouldn't blame him. Maybe she was just irritated with him in general.
Ever since Camp Jupiter, she'd been carrying around a lot of worry and resentment. She wondered what Hercules had wanted to tell her about the sons of Zeus. They couldn't be trusted? They were under too much pressure?
Piper tried to imagine Jason becoming a god when he died, standing on some beach guarding the gates to an ocean long after Piper and everyone else he knew in his mortal life were dead.
She wondered if Hercules had ever been as positive as Jason-more upbeat, confident, quick to comfort. It was hard to picture. As they hiked down into the next valley, Piper wondered what was happening back on the Argo II.
She was tempted to send an Iris-message, but Hercules had warned them not to contact their friends. She hoped Annabeth could guess what was going on and didn't try to send another party ashore.
Piper wasn't sure what Hercules would do if he were bothered further. She imagined Coach Hedge getting impatient and aiming a ballista at the man in purple, or eidolons possessing the crew and forcing them to commit suicide-by-Hercules.
Piper shuddered. She didn't know what time it was, but the sun was already starting to sink. How had the day passed so quickly? She would have welcomed sundown for the cooler temperatures, except it was also their deadline.
"Stop," Jason said. Piper wasn't sure what was wrong. Then she realized she could hear running water up ahead. They crept through the trees and found themselves on the bank of a river. It was maybe forty feet wide but only a few inches deep, a silver sheet of water racing over a smooth bed of stones.
A few yards downstream, the rapids plunged into a dark blue swimming hole. Something about the river bothered her. The cicadas in the trees had gone quiet. No birds were chirping. It was as if the water was giving a lecture and would only allow its own voice.
But the more Piper listened, the more inviting the river seemed. She wanted to take a drink. Maybe she should take off her shoes. Her feet could really use a soak. And that swimming hole...it would be so nice to jump in with Jason and relax in the shade of the trees, floating in the nice cool water. So romantic.
Piper shook herself. These thoughts weren't hers. Something was wrong. It almost felt like the river was charmspeaking. Jason sat on a rock and started taking off his shoes. He grinned at the swimming hole like he couldn't wait to get in.
"Cut it out!" Piper yelled at the river. Jason looked startled. "Cut what out?" "Not you," Piper said. "Him." She felt silly pointing at the water, but she was certain it was working some sort of magic, swaying their feelings.
Just when she thought she had lost it and Jason would tell her so, the river spoke: Forgive me. Singing is one of the few pleasures I have left. A figure emerged from the swimming hole as if rising on an elevator.
Piper's shoulders tensed. It was the creature she'd seen in her knife blade, the bull with the human face. His skin was as blue as the water. His hooves levitated on the river's surface.
At the top of his bovine neck was the head of a man with short curly black hair, a beard done in ringlets Ancient Greek style, deep, mourn ful eyes behind bifocal glasses, and a mouth that seemed set in a permanent pout.
Sprouting from the left side of his head was a single bull's horn-a curved black-and-white one like warriors might turn into drinking cups. The imbalance made his head tilt to the left, so that he looked like he was trying to get water out of his ear.
"Hello," he said sadly. "Come to kill me, I suppose." Jason put his shoes back on and stood slowly. "Um, well-" "No!" Piper intervened. "I'm sorry. This is embarrassing. We didn't want to bother you, but Hercules sent us."
"Hercules!" The bull-man sighed. His hooves pawed the water as if ready to charge. "To me, he'll always be Heracles. That's his Greek name, you know: the glory of Hera." "Funny name," Jason said. "Since he hates her."
"Indeed," the bull-man said. "Perhaps that's why he didn't protest when the Romans renamed him Hercules. Of course, that's the name most people know him by...his brand, if you will. Hercules is nothing if not image-conscious."
The bull-man spoke with bitterness but familiarity, as if Hercules was an old friend who had lost his way. "You're Achelous?" Piper asked. The bull-man bent his front legs and lowered his head in a bow, which Piper found both sweet and a little sad.
"At your service. River god extraordinaire. Once the spirit of the mightiest river in Greece. Now sentenced to dwell here, on the opposite side of the island from my old enemy. Oh, the gods are cruel! But whether they put us so close together to punish me or Hercules, I have never been sure."
Piper wasn't sure what he meant, but the background noise of the river was invading her mind again-reminding her how hot and thirsty she felt, how pleasant a nice swim would be. She tried to focus.
"I'm Piper," she said. "This is Jason. We don't want to fight. It's just that Heracles-Hercules-whoever he is, got mad at us and sent us here." She explained about their quest to the ancient lands to stop the giants from waking Gaea.
She described how their team of Greeks and Romans had come together, and how Hercules had thrown a temper tantrum when he found out Hera was behind it. Achelous kept tipping his head to the left, so Piper wasn't sure if he was dozing off or dealing with one-horn fatigue.
When she was done, Achelous regarded her as if she were developing a regrettable skin rash. "Ah, my dear...the legends are true, you know. The spirits, the water cannibals." Piper had to fight back a whimper.
She hadn't told Achelous anything about that. "H-how-?" "River gods know many things," he said. "Alas, you are focusing on the wrong story. If you had made it to Rome, the story of the flood would have served you better."
"Piper?" Jason asked. "What's he talking about?" Her thoughts were suddenly as jumbled as kaleidoscope glass. The story of the flood...If you had made it to Rome. "I-I'm not sure," she said, though the mention of a flood story rang a distant bell. "Achelous, I don't understand-"
"No, you don't," the river god sympathized. "Poor thing. Another girl stuck with a son of Zeus." "Wait a minute," Jason said. "It's Jupiter, actually. And how does that make her a poor thing?" Achelous ignored him.
"My girl, do you know the cause of my fight with Hercules?" "It was over a woman," Piper recalled. "Deianira?" "Yes." Achelous heaved a sigh. "And do you know what happened to her?" "Uh..." Piper glanced at Jason.
He took out his guidebook and began flipping through pages. "It doesn't really-" Achelous snorted indignantly. "What is that?" Jason blinked. "Just...The Hercules Guide to Mare Nostrum. He gave us the guidebook so-"
"That is not a book," Achelous insisted. "He gave you that just to get under my skin, didn't he? He knows I hate those things." "You hate...books?" Piper asked. "Bah!" Achelous's face flushed, turning his blue skin eggplant purple.
"That's not a book." He pawed the water. A scroll shot from the river like a miniature rocket and landed in front of him. He nudged it open with his hooves. The weathered yellow parchment unfurled, covered with faded Latin script and elaborate hand-drawn pictures.
"This is a book!" Achelous said. "Oh, the smell of sheepskin! The elegant feel of the scroll unrolling beneath my hooves. You simply can't duplicate it in something like that." He nodded indignantly at the guidebook in Jason's hand.
"You young folks today and your newfangled gadgets. Bound pages. Little compact squares of text that are not hoof-friendly. That's a bound book, a b-book, if you must. But it's not a traditional book. It'll never replace the good old-fashioned scroll!"
"Um, I'll just put this away now." Jason slipped the guidebook in his back pocket the way he might holster a dangerous weapon. Achelous seemed to calm down a little, which was a relief to Piper. She didn't need to get run over by a one-horned bull with a scroll obsession.
"Now," Achelous said, tapping a picture on his scroll. "This is Deianira." Piper knelt down to look. The hand-painted portrait was small, but she could tell the woman had been very beautiful, with long dark hair, dark eyes, and a playful smile that probably drove guys crazy.
"Princess of Calydon," the river god said mournfully. "She was promised to me, until Hercules butted in. He insisted on combat." "And he broke off your horn?" Jason guessed. "Yes," Achelous said. "I could never forgive him for that."
"Horribly uncomfortable, having only one horn. But the situation was worse for poor Deianira. She could have had a long, happy life married to me." "A man-headed bull," Piper said, "who lives in a river."
"Exactly," Achelous agreed. "It seems impossible she would refuse, eh? Instead, she went off with Hercules. She picked the handsome, flashy hero over the good, faithful husband who would have treated her well. What happened next?"
"Well, she should have known. Hercules was much too wrapped up in his own problems to be a good husband. He had already murdered one wife, you know. Hera cursed him, so he flew into a rage and killed his entire family. Horrible business. That's why he had to do those twelve labors as penance."
Piper felt appalled. "Wait...Hera made him crazy, and Hercules had to do the penance?" Achelous shrugged. "The Olympians never seem to pay for their crimes. And Hera has always hated the sons of Zeus...or Jupiter." He glanced distrustfully at Jason.
"At any rate, my poor Deianira had a tragic end. She became jealous of Hercules's many affairs. He gallivanted all over the world, you see, just like his father Zeus, flirting with every woman he met."
A stone like lump formed in Piper's chest, suddenly realizing why Zoe was so adamant on getting revenge on Hercules, she could suddenly guess why there was such a deep seated hatred between them.
"Finally Deianira got so desperate she listened to bad advice. A crafty centaur named Nessus told her that if she wanted Hercules to be faithful forever, she should spread some centaur blood on the inside of Hercules's favorite shirt."
"Unfortunately Nessus was lying because he wanted revenge on Hercules. Deianira followed his instructions, but instead of making Hercules a faithful husband-""Centaur blood is like acid," Jason said.
"Yes," Achelous said. "Hercules died a painful death. When Deianira realized what she'd done, she..." The river god drew a line across his neck. "That's awful," Piper said. "And the moral, my dear?" Achelous said. "Beware the sons of Zeus."
Piper couldn't look at her boyfriend. She wasn't sure she could mask the uneasiness in her eyes. Jason would never be like Hercules. But the story played into all her fears. Hera had manipulated their relationship, just as she had manipulated Hercules.
Piper wanted to believe that Jason could never go into a murderous frenzy like Hercules had. Then again, only four days ago he had been controlled by an eidolon and almost killed Percy Jackson.
"Hercules is a god now," Achelous said. "He married Hebe, the youth goddess, but still he is rarely at home. He dwells here on this island, guarding those silly pillars. He says Zeus makes him do this,"
"but I think he prefers being here to Mount Olympus, nursing his bitterness and mourning his mortal life. My presence reminds him of his failures-especially the woman who finally killed him. And his presence reminds me of poor Deianira, who could have been my wife."
The bull-man tapped the scroll, which rolled itself up and sank into the water. "Hercules wants my other horn in order to humiliate me," Achelous said. "Perhaps it would make him feel better about himself, knowing that I'm miserable too."
"Besides, the horn would become a cornucopia. Good food and drink would flow from it, just as my power causes the river to flow. No doubt Hercules would keep the cornucopia for himself. It would be a tragedy and a waste."
Piper suspected the noise of the river and the drowsy sound of Achelous's voice were still affecting her thoughts, but she couldn't help agreeing with the river god. She was starting to hate Hercules. This poor bull-man seemed so sad and lonely.
Jason stirred. "I'm sorry, Achelous. Honestly, you've gotten a bum deal. But maybe...well, without the other horn, you might not be so lopsided. It might feel better." "Jason!" Piper protested.
Jason held up his hands. "Just a thought. Besides, I don't see that we have many choices. If Hercules doesn't get that horn, he'll kill us and our friends." "He's right," Achelous said. "You have no choice. Which is why I hope you'll forgive me."
Piper frowned. The river god sounded so heartbroken, she wanted to pat his head. "Forgive you for what?" "I have no choice either," Achelous said. "I have to stop you." The river exploded, and a wall of water crashed over Piper.
(Y/N)'s POV
"HEY!" Percy shouted. "God of...wait what were you the god of again?" "Guarding useless passages I think." (Y/N) said. As they approached Hercules. Carried forth by the sea.
They landed on the island and Percy said, "You, me and my friends need to have a talk." Hercules laughed, "Oh yeah, what about, you want my autograph? Sorry I usually only hand those out to chicks."
Percy sighed, "I can't believe this guy used to be one of my heroes." He said, mortified. "So you are here for an autograph? I don't blame you." The god said, but Percy set him straight.
"No, you see, you disrespected my girlfriend, and that doesn't sit well with me, so we're going to have to deal with it ourselves." Percy said, putting on his most Ares like 'I'm a tough guy' voice. Of course, Hercules fell for it without any hesitation, just like Zoe had predicted.
"Come on then bro, I'll smash you into paste and then do the same to your buddy and your ship. To try and fight me alone, you two are just about as dumb as you look." "Who says we're alone?" He asked as the sea began to swell around them,
Suddenly, the rest of the seven and Hedge were all beside them, save for Jason, Piper and Zoe. Brought to the shore by the sea itself, bone dry and ready for a battle. The god frowned, looking around at the lot of them.
Percy and (Y/N) both drew their swords, Leo pulled two metal ball peen hammers from his belt and set them on fire. Hazel called Arion and mounted, drawing her spatha, Frank turned into a grizzly bear.
Annabeth smiled at Hercules sinisterly and drew her knife. Hedge cracked his neck and started swinging his bat in anticipation. "Wow, how pathetic, are you too scared to fight me one on one?"
"Not at all." (Y/N) said, "But you need to understand something" "You mess with one of us you mess with all of us." Percy declared. Hercules looked towards them, and then turned his head, as if debating whether to go after Jason and Piper. Big mistake.
By the time he had turned back, he caught a flying ruby the size of an apple and a hammer to the face. He blinked in discomfort as they impacted, and by that time, the close quarters fighters were on top of him. Percy swung first.
Riptide slashed down the gods shirt, a spurt of blood following after it, along with Annabeth, who darted for Hercules legs and slashed his ankles to ribbons, "Who do you think I am? Achil-" He began only to be slashed in the face by (Y/N).
"Ack!" He raised a hand to his eye, after it was cut by the blade. "You guys are so dead when-" 'Wham!' The coach hit him in the face with his bat from the gods blind spot. Only for bear Frank to roar and swipe at him, tearing through his chest.
He roared back in anger and tried to wrap his arms around the bear. But couldn't get hold as it disappeared into a shadow before he could, (Y/N) protecting Frank from the immense grip of the god.
See, they weren't just attacking them on a whim, each of them knew that if Hercules laid a hand on them and got enough force to squeeze, or even connected one time with his fists or his club, it was over.
That's why the two fastest of them, not including the horse, Annabeth and (Y/N), struck at points to cripple and blind him, after Percy, who was their support, landed a clean hit, and their two ranged fighters could stun him.
Hedge and Frank were focusing on doing as much damage as possible. They couldn't let the god breathe, or think, or even act. Otherwise it would end badly for them, so they kept attacking relentlessly.
He tried to fight back at first, punching out at them and swinging his arms, there were a few close calls, eventually he was overwhelmed, falling prone, he could do nothing but protect his face. Just as they got ready to stomp him, (Y/N) knew it was their chance.
After Percy, Frank and Hedge all got a few more hits in, (Y/N) shouted "Now!" Suddenly a blur of motion passed through the battlefield. Arion charged Hercules, making him tumble away from his weapon.
Next, Frank turned into an eagle and clutched the club in his talons, ready to take it into the sky and throw it into the sea if necessary. Only there was a problem. As much as the bird screeched and clawed, the weapon wouldn't budge.
"Little above your weight class there kid!" Hercules said, despite the fact he was being hit repeatedly in the head by a demented satyr. The god lunged forwards towards Gleeson. Almost clutching him by the horns.
Fortunately Hazel acted fast and got the satyr out of there, (Y/N) could vaguely hear Hedge yell, "I HAD HIM" Off in the distance behind him. "Plan B!" (Y/N) shouted, and Annabeth dived out the way just in time.
A mixture of fire, water and darkness, things that should have cancelled one another out, all worked in tandem. All swirling around and trapping the god as they essentially boiled him alive in a giant darkness oven.
From that point on the fight was one sided, once he emerged from the attack, Hercules looked like a half peeled baked potato, his clothes were in tatters and his strength drained. Though they kept hitting him for good measure, and because it was enjoyable.
Every other second he was either getting slashed, pummelled, pelted with jewels or having a flaming hammer indented into his face. Once the god collapsed, (Y/N) approached him cautiously. "Hey, wake up, you can't die yet bro."
"Oh I have something special planned for you." (Y/N) threatened, "The same thing we were going to do to your daddy when we faced him in the war." He smiled, "See, I'm gonna call in a favour from my aunt Nemesis, for what you did to Zoe, and for what you did to your family-"
"-I didn't- Hercules said. "-Oh yes, not your fault I'm sure, anyway, see, this is what I'm gonna do, I'm going to impale you with my aunt's New Dawn sword. See, it drains magic, and life. But you're a god now right? So you've got a big well of both to pull from."
(Y/N) grinned, poking the man in his admittedly rocklike pec. "I'm thinking...right here. You see, maybe you'll be strong enough to pull it out, but if not, you never will be, the more you fight it, the more strength you drain, the stronger it'll be, and you did say you were the strongest right?"
"So it won't stop. Every day, it'll take your magic, your strength, and every night, it'll drain you of life, over, and over, and over, until finally, there's no more of you left to drain."
"Isn't that a wonderful thought? Hercules scattered to the wind. Maybe you'll be so weak you'll never reform, the best part is, I'm going to position you, so that every night, you'll look up at the sky, and you'll see her, there above you like she always was. Zoe's revenge."
Then (Y/N) thought of that word, revenge, and it was like he snapped back into the real world, his vengeance over the person who hurt a close friend of his so badly was no longer clouding his mind. Instead he saw the broken and beaten man before him.
He realized, this victory, this beating, was not his, the vengeance he wanted to dish out, no matter how pleasing to him, wasn't his to deal out. So he sighed and instead threw the god to the floor. "Back up. It's about time." (Y/N) said, noticing the two demigods approaching.
Piper's POV
The current grabbed her like a fist and pulled her into the deep. Struggling was useless. She clamped her mouth shut, forcing herself not to inhale, but she could barely keep from panicking. She couldn't see anything but a torrent of bubbles.
She could only hear her own thrashing and the dull roar of the rapids. She'd just about decided this was how she would die: drowning in a swimming hole on an island that didn't exist. Then, as suddenly as she'd been pulled under, she was thrust to the surface.
She found herself at the center of a whirlpool, able to breathe but unable to break free. A few yards away, Jason broke the surface and gasped, his sword in one hand. He swung wildly, but there was nothing to attack.
Twenty feet to Piper's right, Achelous rose from the water. "I'm really sorry about this," he said. Jason lunged toward him, summoning the winds to lift him out of the river, but Achelous was quicker and more powerful.
A curl of water slammed into Jason and sent him under once more. "Stop it!" Piper screamed. Using charmspeak wasn't easy when she was floundering in a whirlpool, but she got Achelous's attention.
"I'm afraid I can't stop," said the river god. "I can't let Hercules have my other horn. It would be mortifying." "There's another way!" Piper said. "You don't have to kill us!" Jason clawed his way to the surface again. A miniature storm cloud formed over his head. Thunder boomed.
"None of that, son of Jupiter," Achelous chided. "If you call lightning, you'll just electrocute your girlfriend." The water pulled Jason under again. "Let him go!" Piper charged her voice with all the persuasiveness she could muster. "I promise I won't let Hercules get the horn!"
Achelous hesitated. He cantered over to her, his head tilting to the left. "I believe you mean that." "I do!" Piper promised. "Hercules is despicable. But, please, first let my friend go." The water churned where Jason had gone under. Piper wanted to scream.
How much longer could he hold his breath? Achelous looked down at her through his bifocals. His expression softened. "I see. You would be my Deianira. You would be my bride to compensate for my loss."
"What?" Piper wasn't sure if she'd heard him right. The whirlpool was literally making her head spin. "Uh, actually I was thinking-" "Oh, I understand," Achelous said. "You were too modest to suggest this in front of your boyfriend."
"You are right, of course. I would treat you much better than a son of Zeus would. I could make things right after all these-" He was silenced when 'THUNK. THUNK. THUNK' Three arrows hit him in the heart.
"Times have changed old man. Women are no longer prizes, and people who viewed them as such have no right to feel sorrow for the past." Said a voice, as Zoe emerged from the trees. Aiming down her bow.
The god collapsed. Falling into his river and becoming water. "I suggest you stay submerged. Otherwise I will have to flood your banks with the sea itself." She warned, and the bubbling mass beneath the water subsided.
"Apologies for the delay." Jason and Piper stared at her in amazement, "How are you here?" "Hercules said that we couldn't have help." "I wouldn't worry about it Piper. He is currently preoccupied."
"He never intended for the two of you to succeed, he just wanted the horn to be retrieved for him, he likely would have attacked us anyway. I have come to take you back."
"Besides, I am done listening to that man. He may be stronger than me, but I hunted for Orion himself, I have fought beasts he would tremble to behold. I could sneak past him in my sleep. Come, Heracles awaits your return. And we do not want to disappoint an old friend."
She explained the plan to them, that Zoe used Percy's control over water to sneak her way onto the island as (Y/N) and the others distracted him. Now that they were safe, she intended to face Hercules alone and get her revenge.
In order to do that, Piper would have to play a key role in setting the trap before it was sprung. It was an honor that Zoe held her in high regard, but once Zoe explained, Piper couldn't help but feel the tiniest bit nervous.
Hercules was waiting right where they'd left him. He was staring at the Argo II, docked between the pillars as the sun set behind it. The ship looked okay, but Piper still felt woefully outgunned. Even as all her friends circled around him.
Too late to reconsider. Jason was prepared. And, seeing Hercules again, she felt more certain than ever she couldn't give him what he wanted. Hercules didn't exactly brighten when he saw them.
Despite the demigods surrounding him, and the fact that he had clearly been taking a beating that should have killed him, he seemed unconcerned, turning to them as they approached. "So. Where is it?" He said extending his bloodied hand.
"We don't have it." "Well then you best hurry, the sun isn't going to get any higher." "We aren't giving you the horn. You don't deserve it." "Well, that's a matter of opinion." "No," Piper said. The god frowned. "Excuse me?"
"Achelous was right," she said. "You're his curse as much as he is yours. You're a sorry excuse for a hero. That's a fact." Hercules stared at her as if she were speaking in Japanese. "You realize I could kill you with a flick of my finger," he said.
"I could throw my club at your ship and cut straight through its hull. I could-" "You could shut up," Jason said. He drew his sword. "Maybe Zeus is different from Jupiter. Because I wouldn't put up with any brother who acts like you."
"You aren't strong and you are not a hero by any sense of the word, not any more." The veins on Hercules's neck turned as purple as his robes, even through his burnt body. "Give me the horn, and I promise, I'll let you and your boyfriend live."
"Not a chance." Piper said, Hercules frowned, "Fine, have it your way." His form began to glow, suddenly all the wounds on his body healed, all the tiredness in his face disappeared. "Who wants to die first?" He said cockily.
"You can't win, not even with the lot of you. I'm the strongest." Hercules said, "Don't you see, the gods trusted me to guard the ancient lands. I am the most worthy." "Are you?" Piper said, he looked at her like she was crazy. "I could snap you like a twig."
Piper had to try to keep her voice from shaking. "Maybe, but that doesn't make you the strongest, or the most powerful. You're not even close." "To who? To him?" Hercules laughed. Looking at Jason.
"You would not be the first demigods I've killed." "Jason is better than you," Piper said. "But don't worry. We're not going to fight you." Hercules laughed, rushing forward to pick up his club "Oh I know that." He said.
He turned to throw his club at the Argo II. It sailed out his grip and rocketed towards the vessel like a missile, but to his absolute horror. It was caught, mid air, by the one and only. Zoe Nightshade. "She is."
(Y/N)'s POV
As all the others stood around them, in a circle, as if to make a makeshift ring. Piper commanded Hercules. "You want to fight her, you always have." And suddenly, the god was laser focused on Zoe.
"Why, this is certainly a heavy club for such a small man." Zoe said, wielding it with one hand, swinging it around like he had earlier. "Were you perhaps compensating for something when it was fashioned?"
Hercules seemed shocked she was even able to lift it. He didn't respond. She pointed to her circlet. "A gift, from my sisters. For this very occasion, why it seems everyone knew this day would come but you."
"I'm strong now, like Hippolyta. Remember Hippolyta? What did happen to her in the end? Oh yes, you killed her didn't you? On one of those trials you speak about so regularly, the ones you think make you worthy of being a god, despite your failures."
"I would say you will meet her where you are going, but we both know that the two of you are a different class of soul." "I'm a god, dumb b-" His insult died out as club hit him in the face after Zoe chucked it. After he reeled back, he said, "I'll just return to Olympus."
He wiped the blood from his nose caused by the throw and snarled "I'll be welcomed back a hero after crushing you and your stupid friends, unlike some." "No, you won't, why from what I hear, lord Hades is eagerly awaiting your arrival."
"It would be a shame to keep him waiting, so let us get to it shall we? A fight to the death. No stakes but that, a simple fight to see who is truly the strongest between us." "Fine by me. After I beat you, maybe I'll pay your sisters a visit-"
Zoe began striding forward "-You brutish, vile, manipulative, pathetic excuse for a hero. You never would've-" 'Wham' A giant ham like fist hit Zoe in the face as she got closer. "Interrupting people is rude. See?" Everyone there reached for a weapon. All of them ready to jump him again.
But Zoe barely moved after the blow. Taking a single step backward. Then rubbing her nose as if it were simply irritating to be punched in the face by the physically strongest demigod in history. "I see, unlike me, you have not changed. Still all muscle no maturity."
The wind around them began to pick up. Salty sea air was whipping around their heads. The son of Zeus laughed as Percy glared at him. But before Percy could attack, he was stopped. Zoe held up a hand.
"What? She was the one picking a fight. You can't be mad at me defending myself." Hercules said with a smile. Percy took out Riptide, but Zoe stopped him from using it. "Anaklusmos" She said quietly, and the sword flew from his hand into hers.
"It's fine Percy. I was just checking he hadn't gotten any weaker in this era, or from his beating earlier. Otherwise this would not be as satisfying. I swear on my honor. He will not hit me again" Hercules looked at her like she was crazy.
"Weaker? Are you kidding me or yourself? Unlike you wannabes, the gods accepted me into Olympus. I'm a higher being. Stronger than ever. I could crush you all into dust. You won't have to worry about the giants, you'll be dead before you reach them!"
"Wonderful. So shall we begin?" Zoe asked brightly. "Are you challenging me? Alone?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. She said nothing but struck out with the sword, he parried it with his club, but was thrown back a foot or two.
"Alone, yes, but this will not be a challenge." She said firmly. "Big talk for a girl who couldn't even beat her own father and was rejected by her new mother." He tried to goad her, she just chuckled. Awaiting a cue to start fighting. "I shall enjoy this."
Hercules raised his club, with misplaced confidence he placed it over his shoulder like a baseball bat. "Bring it, has-been." She let out a laugh, "With pleasure." She said before charging forward. Riptide in hand.
Watching Zoe wield a sword was like seeing Chiron walking on two legs. Something he'd never expected to see, but absolutely mind-blowing to watch. In the past she had relied on her bow or a hunting knife, even a kukri, but seeing her with Riptide was a whole different experience.
Seeing her wield the weapon with such ease and grace, he had to wonder if the use of her bow was a self imposed handicap. To keep all of her fights from ending too quickly. (Y/N) had a sudden chill run down his neck as the two clashed.
The force from their strikes alone was enough to shock everyone present. Riptide clattered off Hercules club as both blows were cancelled out, parried by the strength of the other. From there though, Hercules found out that this battle would be an uphill struggle.
As he reeled from the first hit, clearly shocked that his opponent hadn't crumpled like paper, Zoe had already recovered, another quick swipe with the blade cut into his torso, golden ichor slowly flowed from it.
Hercules hissed in annoyance and tried to jump backwards to gain distance, using so much strength to do so that the ground shook, but it didn't matter, Zoe was already up in his face by the time he landed. He didn't have room to swing his club.
With a precise and dam near form perfect thrust, the tip of Riptide poked into Hercules, right into his rock like pec, right over where his heart was. As if to say, 'I could have ended it here, but why would I?'
Hercules roared in anger, raising his fist and slamming down towards her with a hammer fist, but Zoe was unfazed. She caught his wrist with her off hand, and looked up at him, taking a half step froward and pushing the blade deeper.
As it plunged into his skin, the son of Zeus grunted like a caveman, he first tried to wrench the sword free of him by releasing his grip on his club and pulling at it with one hand. When Zoe's hand refused to move, he changed tactics.
He tried to launch a kick. If you could even call it that, he lunged a foot forward towards his opponent, banking on the fact that if it made contact, she would be in for a world of hurt. But Zoe mirrored his own move.
Just twice as cool, and twice as efficient. Releasing his wrist, she used her hand to drive Riptide deeper into his chest, hammering it like a chisel, after she let go of the blade, it was still lodged in his body, supported by his own muscle.
Then without missing a beat, Zoe caught his kick the moment he threw it, as if she expected it before even he did. Leaning back to extend his leg, she graced him with a genuine smile she kicked out his supporting knee.
With an undignified "WAH!" Hercules tumbled to the floor, then Zoe pivoted her hips, (Y/N) thought she was going for a kneebar, but what she did was much more disrespectful. She threw him, tossed him like he was a trash bag by one leg.
He skipped across the dirt. Riptide freeing itself from him and returning presumably to Percy's pocket as he rolled in the dirt, then, to add insult to injury, Zoe picked up Hercules club and threw it to him again.
Hercules didn't take that well. He stood up in a rage, almost foaming at he mouth, running at her like a charging bull, he scooped up his club as he ran past, using the momentum caused by his immense strength to put all of his weight into one huge overhead swing.
As Zoe countered, light passed by Hercules club so fast (Y/N) barely saw it, he understood that Riptide hadn't returned to Percy, but to her. She raised it to defend herself and did something that truly dumbfounded him.
It was a move (Y/N) had tried to use in the past, only to fail at it horribly, but Zoe did it without hesitation and with effortless precision. Not one ounce of movement or strength was wasted when she sliced at his weapon.
Hercules own strength worked against him as she split the weapon in two, one piece of the weapon sailed over her head, now separated from it's grip, which a confused Hercules held in his hand. Looking just as amazed as (Y/N) felt.
It was moments like this that made him remember just how old Zoe was, just how much she had trained, as a hunter, as a demigod, and a warrior. All for this exact moment, this whole fight, that she had probably imagined millions of times over in her mind.
She was relishing the true shock and fear on her opponent's face as he held the grip of his weapon, now reduced to a useless collection of splinters under his immense strength and anger as he screamed in frustration.
Until it dawned on Hercules in that moment that again, she could have done the exact same thing to his neck, but didn't. It seemed almost impossible, comical even, how easy she made it look.
After five minutes of a brutal beating and through a bloodied nose, Hercules ego reared it's head, "It's that stupid circlet...that's the only reason...you are strong" He drawled out, talking slowly as if he was on the verge of collapse "The only reason you can even stand in the same ring as me! I'm the strongest man in the world."
"Of course you would think that." You could hear a pin drop when Zoe scoffed, taking off the circlet without a second thought, she threw it towards Hercules, who looked terrified, it clattered on the ground at his feet, her hair coming down with it.
"If you feel it offers an advantage you are welcome to put it on if you'd like. I know strength is all you covet, but it will not help you." She waited for a second, giving him the choice, everyone here knew he could have used all the help he could get, even if he would have looked ridiculous.
It was no surprise that the pride of the son of Zeus was too strong. He tossed the trinket aside and snarled. "Very well." Zoe said, before putting an odd hairpin in her hair. "Remember hero." The last word tainted with distain and venom, "You wanted this."
She ran forward so fast that (Y/N) had to blink a few times to know she had moved. Hercules smiled and made a noise as if to declare victory as he went for a right cross that probably would have flattened a mountain.
Not that it mattered, she ducked under his swing and hit him in the liver with so much force it took him off his feet even without the circlet. He made a horrible wheezing noise as it impacted and his eyes almost bulged out of their sockets.
Zoe didn't say anything, even when she set to work utterly dismantling the supposed best hero in Greek history. Every attack he threw missed, every time he tried to dodge he just ran into another attack, it was an entirely one sided assault, and nobody else dared interfere.
All they could do was watch, half expecting Zoe to start demanding lunch money with how pathetic the resistance was. See. they had beaten him badly, with all of them working together.
Zoe was beating him, viciously, all on her own, without extra magical strength, just skill. She didn't draw her bow, or her knife, and seemed to be taking some catharsis by beating him in hand to hand combat, where he excelled.
Even when Hercules did get a grip around her in some wrestling moves and attempted to squeeze for all he was worth, Zoe didn't bat an eye and slipped away from him before any damage was done. Outmanoeuvring him with no effort.
"This can't be real." He said breathlessly. "This can't be you." Zoe didn't respond and as he lunged at her again, she backed up just enough to be out of his range, then countered by closing the distance for a second and clapping his ears.
"Argh!" The hero said, his dignity all but gone as she spoke. "This has always been me, you were simply too stupid to realize it." As Hercules flailed around, she sighed, "I should have said that before the attack..." she lamented. "Oh well."
The attacks began again, this time, feeling he had the advantage, Heracles was more aggressive, swiping and punching rapidly, but it didn't matter, Zoe was ten times more agile and more skilled, there was as little difference in ability was just as great now as it was a minute ago.
The first blow she landed was the cleanest punch to the jaw (Y/N) had ever seen. Though with her lack of strength, Hercules just laughed as it landed with a dull thud, looking confident again...for a single moment, before he swayed on his feet and collapsed onto his butt.
It didn't stop there, before he could even say more than "What the-" Before Zoe kicked him in the chest. Hercules made a sound like he was about to throw up, he looked up at her wide eyed as she began raining punches down on his face.
He couldn't move or escape, even as he raised his hands to defend his face she pushed them aside and kept going, that was when the god got desperate, seeing no escape. (Y/N) saw what was happening and tried to warn her.
As the god's form began to shimmer, he knew what Hercules was doing, attempting to show Zoe his true form and incinerate her, his final ditch effort to kill her, a truly cowardly move. "Zoe he's going to-"
He was cut off by the impact, it made him flinch. As Hercules eyes began to glow Zoe launched a brutal knee into his temple and it was lights out, magical or otherwise. He skidded unceremoniously on his face and laid still. The power he was mustering faded away.
When he finally did rise, he already had one eye swelled shut, teeth missing, and blood pouring from his nose. "No...It's not possible...." He muttered, trying to rise only to fall again. "I'm...I'm...the strongest... Always was, always will be."
"This means nothing. The world still thinks of me before anyone else, I'm the greatest...the world will ever know...their greatest hero." He continued to grumble to himself, his words slurred, he rose to his feet with great effort.
Zoe smiled a bright, genuine smile, and said, "Yes, you are the strongest demigod...But that is all you will ever be. Strength is not what you lacked in life, you lacked empathy, understanding, and humanity."
"You were so caught up in yourself and your power that all you ever were was a barbarian and a thug. I have always been better than you, both as a person and a combatant. Your pride and hubris are all that feed you now." She said calmly, like speaking to a child.
The fact she showed no anger seemed to frustrate Hercules more than anything else. She continued to speak as his face got redder and redder, "Truly, you are pathetic, even as a god, after all this time, you have not grown since you were a man. In truth. I pity you now more than ever."
"But I have grown past my need for you. I am no longer the girl you knew, I am Zoe Nightshade, daughter of Artemis. The woman who surpassed you, you may consider yourself the pinnacle of strength, but we demigods know the truth of what you are. The world may-" He charged at her in anger, cutting her message short.
In a single, swift movement, Zoe plucked an arrow from her quiver, turned just in time to dodge his erratic punch, with her other hand grabbing her knife, jamming it in Hercules knee, making him fall like a redwood, she circled around him and then she nocked an arrow.
There was a moment where everyone present stood still, before the arrow flew, everyone there knew Hercules was about to meet his fate, the one he deserved, even the man himself seemed to understand his mistake before it backfired on him.
His final expression was one of utter defeat, like he was about to cry, a bruised ego to the end. Zoe sighed. "-The world may think of you as a hero, but I will think of you no more." Was all she said, quietly and coldly, as the arrow sailed into the base of Hercules skull, and he fell, this time never to rise again.