“Hercules... rise, brother,” the voice said from beyond the black mists that obscured his vision.
Mine memory recalls that voice’s owner.
“Hermeethss? Ith—” Hercules began but found his tongue tangled.
He reached into his mouth and retrieved the obstruction. It was a silver half-dollar. What is going on?
"Hermes? Is that you?" Hercules said.
The messenger god grinned. He bore the strawberry blonde locks and crystal blue eyes that possessed a twinkle impossible to replicate. It was his half-brother.
“Aye, son of Zeus, it is I.”
Hercules scanned the swirling mists surrounding them but could make nothing out, not even that which they stood upon.
"Tis very dark, Hermes. Where are we? It feels familiar," Hercules said.
"You must accompany me, brother." Hermes walked ahead then turned around.
"By Zeus, I will not until you answer me."
I'm not slurring my speech. I don't feel as though I've been drinking at all. This is more than passing strange.
"You must answer that question, brother. Today I am but an escort. A deed that leaves my heart all but crushed." Hermes turned away.
"You dare order the scion of Olympus?" Hercules's brows furrowed, his fists clenched.
"There is only one with that power. As you well know," Hermes said. "Again, I ask that you follow me."
Hercules did, with a grunt of frustration. The mists parted as they walked without sound. Even the smell here is familiar, Hercules thought. He remembered the silver coin in his hand and Hercules felt the blood drain from his face.
"Hermes, tell me I am mistaken. Be this Hades? Is this coin from under my tongue for—"
"Hail, son of Zeus." A withered, gravelly voice came from the beyond the veil.
The mists parted revealing a river black as pitch. Upon it floated an ancient skiff of decrepit wood. Piloting the ferry with a long pole was a grinning old man. His beard was trimmed but his eyebrows seemed to be reaching out for something. His wrinkles said he was a man that had seen many, many seasons come to pass.
"Behold Charon, brother Hercules. He waits for you."
MARVEL REBORN PRESENTS:
Hercules Unleashed
Part II
Written by C. William Russette
Hercules burst into laughter. The sound blasted through the mist. Charon tilted his head and smiled. Hermes frowned and put a hand on his brother’s shoulder. Hercules continued laughing.
“Tis a fine jest indeed but my mortal companions require my aid on earth. I really must away and--”
“Forgive me, Hercules, but you do not understand. You cannot return,” Hermes said.
“Hermes, have you suffered a blow to the head? I am Hercules, son of Zeus. Immortal of ...” Hercules stopped as realization struck him.
“You are immortal no longer. Father Zeus stripped thee of thy divinity.”
Charon stood, waiting patiently.
“This is the second time that hydra has slain me.” Hercules grinded his teeth.
Had my over-excitable father not stripped me of my immortality when he did none of this would be possible. I cannot simply bow to the ferryman like some mortal. I must find my way back to earth to do what I should have done in the first place.
“I allowed thee to pass freely the last time, son of Zeus. This time, I humbly ask thee to pay the toll,” Charon said and bowed his head.
Hercules formed a fist around the coin. The rage began to overtake him. It demanded release. To give in to it would be easy. It would feel good but accomplish nothing. If he were to be honest to himself, the blinding rage caused more problems than it was worth.
“Even the gods -”Hermes began.
“Be at ease, Hermes.” Hercules stepped to the skiff. “Hercules will pay for his passage and give the ferryman no trouble.”
Hermes stared blankly.
“I would have words with my uncle.” Hercules dropped the coin in Charon’s withered, vein-ridden hand.
“Join me, Hercules. Honor my simple vessel and we shall be off,” Charon said sliding the coin into one of the pockets of his robes.
“Until next time, brother,” Hermes said as the fog swallowed ferryman and passenger.
Hercules did not respond.
______________________________
The deeper the skiff eased down the river of sorrow the lower Hercules's heart sank. Hades was an unbearable place but then it was designed to be so. Only the dead and the gods were to travel these byways. Hercules was mortal when the hydra struck him down. The vestige of his mortal soul ached to be away from this place. He wanted off the skiff and away from the musty smelling old man guiding the boat. The death-guide was no mortal man. He was Charon, son of Nyx, demonic goddess of night, and Erebus, personification of darkness.
Whispers and mumbles filtered through the fog. Hercules tried to hear what was being said between moans and whimpers but could not. More than once he thought he saw eyes or a human limb float near the surface of the black water only to fall away.
"Mind the marsh. Tis is a greedy thing," Charon said.
Hercules arched a brow.
"I never thought the day would come when I would ferry the strongest of the Olympians," Charon said, "Wait until I inform the others."
"Others?" Hercules asked.
"The other ferrymen, of course. What, you thought I was the only one?"
Hercules found nothing to say.
"Granted, ever since King Zeus cut off Lord Pluto's supply of mortals there hasn't been much work. But I am just one god. Do you have any idea how many people died on a given day when Rome was on the march? I do not even need sleep but there just wasn't time. No, there's a fleet."
"Verily, I had no idea."
"Why would you? No one puts any thought into me and mine until it is collection day. Good thing you had your coin or I would have left you on that shore. Rules are rules. It's a hundred year—"
"Charon, be silent. I tire of your prattle. Dead I may be but you still address the son of glorious Zeus."
"Aye, prince." Charon turned around and faced the parting fog before them.
______________________________
"Frank, listen to me. We do not have time for this. Somethin’ is going down out there now. This is going to be our best shot. If its as big as it sounds, the commotion out there will bring every hero that's left in the city running."
"And there won't be anyone available to respond to the bank alarm. I get it, Herman. But with the timetable I've got mapped out we don't need any of that convenient distraction out there. In fact, I'm thinkin’ maybe we should get the hell out Dodge now because it sounds like it’s getting closer."
Herman stripped off his shirt and slid on a thickly padded top of gold and brown with thin black mesh covering it.
"I ain't goin' no where. I just got this safe house the way I like it. One of my best girls thinks this where I live too. No one gets in here without takin' a poundin'." Herman Shultz slid his vibro-shock units over his hands.
The apartment shook, taking cd's and dvd's from shelves and pots from the kitchen counter. Something large and glass smashed in a back room.
"Damn it, that better not have been my new flatscreen.”
"Screw this, Herman. I am out of —"
A support beam, wood and plaster crashed through the ceiling burying Frank Schlicting. He hit the floor face down and did not move.
"Frank? Constict— damn!"
The windows blew in and a wall of green scales closed on then smashed through the wall. The trauma knocked Herman off his feet. He shook his head and looked at his fallen partner.
"Guess I'll be taking that bank on my own, Frank."
Herman eased the gold and brown mask of the Shocker over his head.
"Before I do that though, somebody gets smashed."
______________________________
Hercules was wondering how the heroes on earth were faring against the hydra when the fog on the marsh began to thin. He beheld a shore ahead covered with white stones. A river, smaller than the Acheron, opened off to the left. The black mountains that blocked the view of the place of torment expanded off to the east. Hercules knew the wicked suffered that very instant in the hellish realm of Tartarus.
Charon steered the skiff to the northwest, to the continuation of the river Acheron. To the left stood the dark gray, cracked marble home of Charon and his ferrymen. The landscape that surrounded it was completely devoid of any life. To the right, the dismal forests and plains of the Asmodel Fields. The skiff drifted closer to the lands on the right.
Hercules smelled the beast before it appeared. It was impossible not to. Charging out of it's own marble and stone enclosure that was part mansion in the ancient Greek style and part cage came the dog. He was three men high and sprouted a snake from where his tail should be. Three snarling heads breathed fire.
"Do you seek to earn my ire, Charon? Tis more than thou can bear I warrant," Hercules said.
The ferryman said nothing and continued to guide his skiff.
Cerberus, guardian of Hades, keeper of the dead, barked three times.
"Hail, Cerberus. I mark thee well." Hercules wondered if the beast still carried a grudge from all their past encounters. Most insulting being his twelfth labor.
The skiff continued to float casually up the river Acheron. There was no need to rush in most cases, Hercules mused. Especially if the passengers knew they were going to the unfavorable place. The Asmodel Fields showed no signs of activity that Hercules could see. No animal or insect called the plain home.
On their left stood the great wall that contained Elysium. None may enter that Pluto did not approve of.. Nor could any leave. Why would the dead want to leave so fine a prison? Lush, healthy crops and flora covered the land all the way to the mile high wall.
After an indeterminate span of time Hercules saw the end of the river. Past the shore, up upon a hill stood the most foul and sorrowful structure in the Olympian realm. Built on the backs of the slothful, bricks cast from souls rich in sin and malice, stood the palace of Pluto, Lord of the Underworld.
Hercules had visited the realm of the dead many times in his long life. This was the first time as a future inhabitant. He did not care for it. When he died burning on top of Mount Oeta at the hands of his wife Deianara (thanks to trickery on the part of the centaur Nessus) Hercules bypassed Hades. His father Zeus took him directly to Mount Olympus to stand by his side.
The skiff stopped just short of the shore.
"No escort to my dear uncle?"
"My domain ends with the shore, son of Zeus," Charon said.
"Thou remain as pleasant as ever. Pray I don't see you again, slave of Pluto."
Charon locked eyes with Hercules and nodded once before backing his skiff away from the shore. That was perhaps more rude than I needed to be, Hercules thought. Charon merely does as Pluto bids him. Still, his insolence over thinking I am but a helpless, common soul under his control demanded a response.
Hercules turned to view his destination. Long, wide stone steps ran the length of the hill up to the main entrance. Hercules crossed them in one leap. There was no need to drag out the confrontation any longer than necessary. He had a battle to return to. His friends needed him. He would not miss another chance for glory with his mortal allies. Hercules entered the grim foyer.
Dark gray stone columns supported the three story audience hall. The braziers that cast scant light granted little visibility beyond the wide walkway that lead to the end of the vast room. Statues of all the gods stood twice as tall as a man between the columns. At the far end of the hall was the throne. Upon it sat Pluto.
Hercules treaded carefully but without fear to the dais where the throne rested on high. Pluto waited with his hands linked beneath his chin. His face expressionless, his eyes unreadable.
"Cease this game of yours, Pluto. I’ve not the time," Hercules said.
"It seems that is no longer the case, nephew. You do not tread my realm with your body, immortal or not. This is where you shall remain until the end of time." Pluto exhaled, "Finally. Your soul is mine."
"Never will my soul belong to thee!" Hercules leapt into the air with his massive fist chambered to deliver an unearthly blow.
Pluto did not move. He watched as his nephew crashed into the invisible barrier and bounced off with equal force. Hercules rolled to a stop at the bottom of the stairs that lead to the throne.
"Base coward! Hide not behind your magic! Face me in combat as a god should!" Hercules started up the stairs.
"I think not. I've suffered your strength of arm enough in my time. I am your lord now, nephew. I will have your subservience!" Pluto released a bolt of blue flame from his fist.
Hercules took it full in the chest and crashed to the stone floor without a word. The pain he felt deep inside his being was unlike anything he had ever known before. Is it possible that Pluto is the better here now that I am but a mortal soul?
Nay, still do I have the strength that is my birthright. Grimacing, Hercules stood. Still am I the son of Zeus! Again Hercules marched up the stairs. Pluto fired another ball of blue flame with a mad grin on his face. Hercules side stepped it but couldn't move away from the second, or the third.
"This is indeed fulfilling, Hercules. But it would be selfish of me to keep you all to myself. So many in my kingdom have been waiting for you to arrive. This shouldn't come as a surprise, really." Pluto flew to the bottom of the stairs.
Hercules willed the throb of fire burning him from within to cease. His arms shook uncontrollably as he eased himself to his feet. Pluto was within grappling distance. He would never have another chance. I shall yet win the day, he thought.
The son of Zeus jumped to his feet, took his uncle by the tunic and—
"Father. You've come."
Hercules froze. It was a man's voice. Hercules was certain he had never heard it before yet it seemed familiar. The slightest indication of a smile crept into Pluto's expression. There was no joy in the grin. Hercules clenched his fist anew.
"Surely a greeting is the least you can grant us, father," a second man's voice said.
Again the familiarity. He knew not who the speaker was yet he recognized the voice from his past. The distant past? Hercules released Pluto and turned around. Two men in dark blue tunics faced uncle and nephew from forty feet away. One was taller than the other, one wore a beard but both were well muscled and almost as large as Hercules.
Hercules recognized them instantly though a part of him, a deep part that he had sealed off a long time ago, shouted out that they could not be standing before him.
"You do recognize us, father? Has it been that long?"
"Surely not. I admit we bear little semblance to the way we appeared the last time we three were together." The bearded man grinned.
"Nay... nay I say..." Hercules felt his voice cracking. He couldn't bear to look at them but it was impossible to look away.
"But then, the last time he saw us and our mother, he was throwing our broken young bodies on the fire."
"Right, father? You should recall. It was you that killed us."
"Blood of Zeus, no." Hercules closed his eyes.
"We would repay you that kindness now."
______________________________
What the Shocker had initially taken for a green wall of some kind of armored vehicle was the torso of a very large dragon. How many heads does a dragon have? The Shocker had seen a great many oddities in the modern age of the super human. He couldn't recall ever seeing a multi-headed dragon before. Certainly not outside his apartment window.
"I'm takin' what's owed out of your hide, dragon!" The Shocker discharged twin bolts of vibration energy from his wrist mounted blasters. Three of the heads turned to face it's newest attacker.
"Crap," the Shocker said.
The Shocker stood his ground. The dragon struck. When it opened it's mouth to consume the Shocker he unleashed both vibro-shock units at full power. The dragon's eyes bulged and bled as the energy ravaged the tender upper palate. Blood shot from the monster's nose. Still the Shocker blasted.
The head exploded.
"Damn right!" he shouted.
The Shocker had no sooner begun punishing a second head when the headless neck he just destroyed rose up again. It split down the center like giant invisible hands had made a wish with it. The severed flesh sealed itself. Bone expanded, reshaped and formed two new skulls. Once the flesh had formed both new heads they locked hate filled eyes on the Shocker.
"Screw me," the Shocker said and aimed a vibro-shock unit at each head.
The dragon, Shocker thought might actually be called a hydra, easily resisted the energy output of a single vibro-shock unit. Only both locked on a single head bothered it. A single blast acted as little more than a deterrent. Each time he focused both units on one head, the other drew nearer. Gauging the monster's speed, he knew he wouldn't be able to navigate the ruin of his apartment and reach the interior before being snatched up as a light snack.
The power coils wouldn't be able to continue producing such a high level energy for much longer. They were designed more for bursts, not streams. New designs began coming to mind before the Shocker knocked them away. He decided to worry about an upgrade if he lived.
"Fine, scales. You want me? I ain't goin down easy!"
The Shocker stopped blasting and waited. Both heads paused in contemplation. There was a slight tilting of the heads, four eyes squinted and the heads struck. The Shocker took his time aiming and popped the eyes of the lead head. He began to turn the twin vibro-beams on the second head but he knew it was a useless effort. The head would take him before it felt his attack.
The Shocker closed his eyes, maintained his energy discharge and awaited the inevitable. It did not come. He felt a blast of air and a concussion wave hit him. The hi-tech burglar opened his eyes and beheld a vision of fierce beauty.
The woman flying before him was a blonde with a body that make a movie starlet green with envy. She wore a blue-black, skin tight uniform with a lightning bolt motif and a red sash low on her hips. The Shocker thought he had seen her somewhere before but it was a long time ago. He mentally kicked himself for forgetting her name.
The blind hydra head tried to find it’s prey by scent or sound without success. The head that would have ended the Shocker's career took another powerful blow from the woman's fist. It reared to snap at her and she kicked the great mouth shut then blasted red energy from her hands at the head.
Wow...
"You, wake up! Standing still is a fine way to get yourself killed. Move!"
The Shocker snapped back from the crude fantasy occupying his mind. He turned around and got a look at his apartment. It was perfect for all of one day. There was no way out with all the debris blocking the door. He could blast his way out but he didn't know how stable the building's support structure was.
"Are you deaf? I said—"
The Shocker spun and released twin pulses of energy narrowly missing the heroine and stunning another hydra-head.
"How in the hell am I supposed to get down, lady?"
"No need to get excited. I think I can help with that," a voice boomed.
The Shocker turned to see a man's head that was larger than the burglar was tall.
"I know you. Black Goliath, right?"
"It's just Goliath now." The giant opened his hand and offered his palm for the Shocker to step on. His free hand slapped a snapping head away.
The Shocker hesitated. What's worse, that I'm stepping into hero central or that there's a dragon here trying to kill all of us? Neither of these has-beens recognizes me yet so that's a plus. They won't know there are warrants out for me either. Maybe I just play along until I can get away clean.
"Works for me." The Shocker stepped onto the forklift sized hand.
The woman, marvel-something, wove among the biting heads, blasting as she went.
Goliath snatched and held a head at bay while the Shocker blasted it.
"Don't let go of him!"
The Shocker's heart beat faster when he recognized the speaker.
"He's the Shocker!"
"Spider-man," the Shocker moaned.
The huge hand conveying him began to close around him as the Shocker powered up his vibro-shock units .
______________________________
"Come, father." Hercules's bearded son said smashing a fist across his face.
"Come, Alcides," the taller son said driving an uppercut to his father's lower back.
Alcides. The name Hercules was born to thousands of years ago. He had only taken the name Hercules after the massacre of his family. The killing he perpetuated. In truth, Hercules was later told, Hera was responsible for the madness that had possessed him. Hercules had been certain he was fighting enemies from a recent war when in fact he was murdering his wife Megara and two sons. How could I not have known? How is that any enchantment from any god or wizard could so blind me that I mistook my family for the enemy?
Very simply, the failing was with me.
"Therimachus. Creotiades. What has Pluto done to you?" Hercules asked.
"Given us the power to finally pay you back for our murder!" Creotiades said landing a series of blows that knocked Hercules to the cold, onyx stone floor of Pluto‘s palace.
The pain of just seeing my sons is too great. How can I raise a fist against them after what I've done? I deserve this and so much more. Hercules rose to his feet. His arms remained at his side.
Pluto eased back into his throne and grinned.
"For our mother!" Therimachus roared, blasting his father again and again with right and left hooks that dropping Hercules to one knee.
Therimachus took a fistful of his father's hair and jerked his head up to meet the gaze of his son.
"I have never forgiven myself for failing my family, boy."
"We have that in common," Therimachus said.
Therimachus drove his knee squarely into his father's face sending him rocketing into one of the massive gray support columns. Hercules collapsed in a heap. He lay for long moments before pushing himself to his feet.
Pluto burst out laughing. "Well met, boy!"
Creotiades lifted Hercules by the neck until his feet but touched the floor. Both of Hercules's eyes were swelling shut. He wasn't sure if that was possible as he didn't really have a body anymore. Mayhap this is my representation of my body through my mind's eye. I think I yet have a body of blood and bone and as such, I am hurt. He decided it was unimportant when Creotiades began landing punches that snapped his ribs like they were made of dry kindling.
Hercules surrendered to unconsciousness more than once before his son was finished.
"Rise, father!"
Pain exploded in Hercules’s face.
"You will be aware of our vengeance."
Hercules slowly turned his face to his uncle. The grim god of the dead-lands had never looked to happy. Hercules had never felt so miserable.
"I will grind you to powder until the end of time for our murder and everything else thou did to us," Therimachus said.
His powerful fist swung hard and fast but was caught by Hercules.
"Everything else, Therimachus? To what do you refer?" Hercules said.
"The... the killing and... the burning," Therimachus's eyes searched for the answer but slowly, as though he was drugged.
Hercules released his son's fist.
"What other sins have I ever committed against thee, boy?" Hercules strained but stood upright.
Creotiades charged at his father anew. Hercules stopped his son merely by pointing his finger. "Stand thy ground, boy. I'll have answers from you both.”
Pluto's hands dropped to the arms of his throne. He eased forward to hear better.
"The abuses. The drunken attacks—"
"Never did I drink and raise one finger to either of you or thy mother! Cease these lies! What else did I do besides provide for thee? Besides teach thee the bow and sword?"
"The punishments... the whipping, father. You—"
"Lies all! I would sooner cut off my own arms than have hurt thee or thy mother. Where do such thoughts come from, boy?" Hercules's brow furrowed, his face reddened.
"Do not listen to him! Continue with thy revenge!" an all too familiar, female voice screeched from the shadows.
Creotiades and Therimachus grimaced and slapped hands to their temples. Both men swooned while fighting to keep their eyes open.
"Come forth from the shadows, crone! Face me as though honor were something familiar!" Hercules bellowed.
Hera stepped out from behind the throne of Pluto. Her expression simultaneously that of disgust and disappointment.
"I should not be surprised but your level of depravity seems endless, Hera."
"You deserve no less, bastard son of Zeus!" Hera screamed, "In a thousand lifetimes I cannot tear thee from mine eyes nor my husband's heart!"
Hera raised her arms and fired bolt after bolt of energy. More than enough to incinerate a dozen men. Hercules stood, unmoving and unaffected. Hercules and Hera both looked perplexed.
Pluto pinched the bridge of his nose as he rose from his black throne. "What my brother ever saw in thee I shall never know. Hercules is dead, Hera. He is beyond you. I on the other hand..."
The god of the underworld took a small, ancient reed flute from his belt. His eyes locked on Hercules as he slowly placed it to his white lips and blew. None in the room heard the note.
Outside came the sound of an earthquake. The ground shook. The coals in the may braziers spilled over the sides with each reverberation. Hercules smelled the creature before it entered the hall.
Cerberus had to duck it's three heads to fit under the high arch.
"He wishes to repay you for the indignity thou subjected him to, nephew. I told him he must return you to me within a centuries time."
A low growl that Hercules felt in his bowels filled the great hall of the dead. Cerberus took it's time closing in.
“Fie, Pluto! I task thee! Set before me a hundred trials and I shall best them all, by Zeus. When they fail to break me I shall task thee anew, forever! Know that Hercules will never surrender to you and your cellar-dwelling of torments. Never!”
“Nor shall thee,” a voice boomed like thunder, “my son.”
“What?” Pluto turned to behold his brother, Zeus, king of the gods of Olympus.
Zeus, worshipped in millennia past, maintained the muscled body of his youth. The only indication that any aging had occurred appeared in the form of the white that showed in his red mane of hair and full, well groomed beard. His skin illuminated the entire chamber. Small arcs of lightning reached out from his red, glowing eyes as they locked on Hera.
“Is your liaison over so soon, husband? Well, you aren’t the god you once were now are you?” Hera said flatly.
Thunder and lightning filled the hall. All present turned from the light save Pluto who merely frowned. Cerberus ran away whining.
"Silence!" thundered Zeus.
"When will this hatred end, Hera? Pluto? I find it very tiresome," Zeus said.
"Gods do not change their ways, brother. None of us," Pluto said.
"I did not strip my son of his heritage that it might be easier for you two to toy with him,"
Zeus turned to the sons of Hercules. "Return from whence thou came in thy true forms, my grandsons."
Therimachus and Creotiades shrank under the power of Zeus and became the boys that Hercules remembered them as. The bashed and bruised face of the son of Zeus managed a bitter smile. Both grinned happily at the site of their father and faded from view.
"This is truly a low for both of you."
"Such hypocr—" Hera began.
"Save thy wicked tongue, wife." Zeus hurled a thunderbolt and Hera was gone in a blast of smoke and fire. "I shall deal with thee anon."
"What wilt thou do with Hercules? Thou art responsible for his mortality. He hath died and the dead are my purview. By your own decree so long ago," Pluto said.
"As though it was not thy greatest desire to steal thy brooding self away, brother. Do not test me. Your treatment of thine charges disgraces your station. They were but children living out their lives in Elysium..."
Pluto's lips tightened into a thin line. Zeus approached his son. Hercules closed his eyes. He was exhausted. As he was nothing more than spirit and memory the emotional strain struck him as blows never could.
"I had so hoped that you had put the deaths of thy children behind thee, Hercules. Have I not told thee enough thou could not have seen through the deception?"
Hercules bowed his head and nodded without making eye contact.
"Megara and your sons reside happily in Elysium. They shall never be disturbed again."
Zeus glared at Pluto.
"Thou art the only one who blames thyself, son."
Hercules exhaled and met his father's gaze. "Aye, father."
"Stripping thee of thy immortality was not just to show thee where thy true home was, with the gods, but to give thee a new lease to appreciate the glory that life can bring. The mortals have a zeal for life that no god ever can. Living as one of them should have shown thee that."
"Father, I am of both worlds. My time spent as a mortal the first time was enough to give me fond memories until the stars burn out. It was enough to show me I love the mortal world as well as Olympus. I would die to protect it," Hercules said.
"Aye. Yet you drink it away and live a debauched, wanton life. Dost thou tire of all existence then? Thou live in a modern world yet even your manner of dress reveals your inability to move on from your tragic end as a mortal. Should I leave thee here in grim Hades as neither Olympus nor the world of man suits thee?"
"Now more than ever, King Zeus, the world of man needs protectors. Earth has lost a great many of her heroes while evil has remained almost untouched."
"I should allow thee to return to the drink and women? What need wouldst thee be serving? Nay, Hercules, I think returning to Olympus would suit thee best." Zeus raised a hand, cast a bolt of lightning and opened a dimensional portal.
Hercules felt the old rage building again. His face reddened but then drew a deep breath. He exhaled three times and approached his father to stare him in the eyes.
"I have allies-friends, father. They are in grave danger because of their association with me and the hatred of your brother. Tis the hydra."
Zeus averted his gaze to Pluto. The lord of the underworld did not waver. He stood straight and tall, unapologetic.
Zeus stroked his beard as he turned from brother and son.
______________________________
El Aguila, a Spanish fencer and a mutant, that the Black Knight knew almost nothing about landed fifty feet away from the gigantic monster. The woman in his arms was crying but she was alive. He had narrowly swung with her out of the snapping jaws of one of the hydra's heads. The fencer drew his saber and discharged a blast of energy at the head that almost took his life and that of the girl. It had no effect.
The Black Knight was fighting a defensive battle and hating it. The hydra was more than the eclectic gathering of super-humans could handle. With enough Avengers, a team that had trained together and worked as a cohesive unit, it would be a different story. Of those present only the Black Knight, Starfox and Ms. Marvel had ever been Avengers. While he knew he could count on Spider-Man, El Aguila and Goliath they were solo crime fighters. The Shocker, where ever he had come from, was a known felon.
Keeping Spider-man off of the criminal had been difficult. The two old enemies engaged one another immediately. Goliath had to break them up before the hydra caught them unawares and further weakened hero’s position. He didn't know what to do with the Shocker initially. He had warrants out for him according to Officer Grady, liaison with the police response. There was a shortage of distance attack capability on his side so Dane rolled the dice and asked him if he would join them. The Shocker's mask didn't reveal a lot of expression but the Knight thought his eyes widened.
More surprisingly, the Shocker agreed to help, though only after some thought, and a promise that Spider-man would keep his sticky fingers to himself.
Ms. Marvel unleashed blast after blast while flying through the air just missing getting bitten and poisoned. Shocker unleashed his own assault from the ground or in the arms of Starfox (an act neither care for). Goliath tried to keep the property damage down to a bare minimum while rescuing hard to reach bystanders trapped by fire or debris. A great number of the injured would never have made it to the emergency vehicles on the perimeter if not for Spider-man's bravery and ability.
Why hasn't he been invited to join the Avengers, Black Knight wondered.
SHIELD arrived half an hour prior. They ignored Dane's suggestion to stay out of the fight. They were out of their league. Agent Dowers was certain of his Mandroid’s abilities. One agent died and three were in critical condition before they were ordered to pull back. First response SHIELD agents armed with heavy discharge weapons proved just as useless.
When the Black Widow finally arrived she listened to what the Knight had to say. SHIELD was spread extraordinarily thin at the moment. Hydra and AIM had been busy apparently. Until the resources were available the SHIELD contingent would coordinate law enforcement and help with evacuation. She issued micro-comms to all the superhuman’s present and left without saying a word about the Shocker.
We simply don't have the power that we—
"Flatten!" someone yelled from behind the Black Knight.
The Black Knight's reflexes responded automatically and he dropped flat to the ground. A red beam of energy cut through the air destroying a large chunk of brick. The Black Knight raised his shield to keep the small bits of rubble from pelting him. When he was clear he looked up to a most welcome sight.
"Need a hand, Avenger?" Cyclops, leader of the X-Men, asked offering his hand.
Black Knight gladly took the mutant's hand.
"You have no idea. Hank! Good to see you," the Black Knight said.
"It's always good to be seen, sir knight," Hank McCoy, the blue-furred Beast, said with a big, toothy grin.
"Wolverine," Black Knight said, not wanting to leave the third mutant out for a number of reasons.
"Never smelled the likes of that thing before." Wolverine bit the tip off of a cigar, spat it out and struck a match off his belt. "Some kinda stink you girls are makin' here."
"What exactly is that thing?" Cyclops asked.
"From all appearances I should think it would be obvious, Scott." Beast said.
"We think it's a hydra," Black Knight said.
"One way to find out," Wolverine said and charged directly at the monster.
"Wolverine!" Cyclops shook his head.
"I think Logan's impetuosity will be his undoing," Beast said.
"What can you tell us about this thing. We're here to help," Cyclops said.
"That nine-headed creature appeared out of no where hours ago. It's armored like a tank, heals fast and spits a poison gas with a bite to match. It's killed the Human Torch and Hercules. The only thing we have to show for our efforts besides property damage is that we're now fighting a hydra with thirteen heads," the Black Knight said.
"Oh dear," Beast said. "I wish Wolverine had heard that before he started cutting."
The X-Men and Avenger charged at the hydra.
To be continued...
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NEXT ISSUE:
The big finale! Heck, everything about this story is big, the ending will be no different.
Still more heroes fall to the deadly beast of myth.
Can it be stopped?
Find out in thirty!
C. William Russette