The Lion of Nemea

The roar crashed through the cave like thunder rising from the bowels of the earth. A deep, primal vibration slithered along the stone walls and sank into Hercules' bones, calling to him. It wasn't a warning. It was a challenge. A call to death.

Hercules stepped forward without hesitation. The darkness did not unnerve him, nor did the thick air, heavy with the stench of rotting flesh and dried blood. He had seen horror up close—felt it in his own hands when the life of his family slipped away before him. He did not fear death, but he wasn't seeking it. Not yet. Not until his debt was paid.

His footsteps echoed against the damp stone as he pressed deeper into the monster's lair. He ran his hand along the rough cavern wall, feeling the cold seeping into his skin, the moisture clinging to him. How many warriors had come before him, thinking themselves brave, only to be reduced to forgotten bones?

Another growl, closer this time.

Hercules clenched his fists. His mind raced through every possible way to kill the beast. Could he strangle it? Snap its neck with a single strike? Drive his sword into its chest and pierce its heart? It didn't matter. The strength in his body was a divine gift, a legacy of Zeus himself. No creature could match him. None.

He exhaled slowly and moved forward.

The lion was waiting.

The stench was unbearable.

Hercules stepped into the heart of the cave—a vast, uneven chamber lined with jagged rocks. The floor was littered with bones, some still wrapped in strips of decayed flesh. Skulls of men and beasts were stacked in the corners like trophies.

A beam of sunlight filtered through a gaping hole in the ceiling, casting light upon the grotesque display. Three tunnels opened in different directions, snaking into the shadows.

And from the shadows, the beast struck.

The roar was an explosion that tore through the air. A golden blur shot forward, a mass of muscle and fury, moving with monstrous speed.

The impact hit him from behind.

A brutal, crushing force—like being struck by a catapult stone. Hercules was sent flying, crashing to his knees amid shattered bones. A burning pain flared across his back. He reached for his side and found blood.

"Alright, you bastard…" he growled, rising to his feet. "Let's begin."

He turned, sword in hand, and swung a powerful strike at the lion's head.

Steel met flesh—

But instead of cutting through, sparks exploded in the dark.

The impact felt like striking a wall of bronze.

"…Shit."

No time to think.

The lion lunged again, claws slicing through the air. It was fast—too fast. Hercules barely ducked in time, feeling the rush of wind as death passed inches from his skull.

Then he heard it.

A sound that chilled his blood.

When the beast's claw struck the cave wall, the solid rock didn't resist. It crumbled like wet clay, breaking apart in a cloud of dust and shattered stone. A massive gouge was left in its wake.

Hercules swallowed hard.

For the first time, he considered what would happen if he took a direct hit.

"Damn it!" he cursed, swinging his sword harder.

The lion lunged again, and this time, though Hercules barely dodged, the beast's claw raked across his chest. Searing pain tore through his skin as blood trickled down his torso.

It had been a long time since anything had wounded him like this.

But he wasn't backing down.

With a roar of fury, he charged.

Hercules tightened his grip on the hilt of his sword. He took a deep breath and put everything into a single strike. The blade came down in a powerful arc, aimed at the lion's skull—a blow strong enough to shake the cave itself.

Metal met the beast's flesh once more. The impact echoed like a hammer against an anvil.

But it wasn't the lion that broke.

A sharp, splintering sound filled the chamber.

Hercules' eyes widened as his sword shattered in his hands. The blade was reduced to fragments, falling uselessly to the floor.

For a brief moment, he stood still.

"…What?"

Then—he saw it. A small detail, almost imperceptible.

The lion's snarl had changed.

Not in rage—but in pain.

Its skin remained unscathed, yet for the first time… it had reacted.

There was no time to think.

With a deafening roar, the lion lunged at its prey. Hercules barely managed to lift his arm in defense as the beast's claws raked across his forearm, sending him crashing against a jagged rock. The impact cracked the stone beneath him.

The monster gave him no respite. It pounced again, fangs ready to tear into flesh. Hercules spat blood and, without hesitation, discarded the shattered remains of his sword.

"Alright, you bastard," he growled, cracking his knuckles. "We'll do this my way."

The lion circled him, golden eyes gleaming with primal hunger. It struck, but Hercules dodged at the last moment and delivered a devastating blow to its ribs, seizing the beast in a crushing grip. With a roar of his own, he lifted the lion off the ground and slammed it against the cave wall with such force that chunks of rock rained from above.

The beast let out a choked snarl, but with unnatural agility, it twisted midair and kicked Hercules away, sending him tumbling across the stone floor.

The demigod barely had time to recover before the lion was upon him again, a blur of golden muscle and fury. At the last possible second, Hercules planted his feet and threw a vicious uppercut with all his strength.

The impact was like thunder.

A sharp crack echoed through the cavern.

A fang flew through the air.

The lion roared—not with rage, but with pain. Blood dripped from its maw for the first time.

Hercules wiped the blood from his own mouth and grinned. "Even divine creatures can bleed…"

But his victory was short-lived.

The lion lunged again, its massive jaws clamping down on his forearm.

Agony exploded through him as the beast's fangs sank deep into his flesh. Hercules gritted his teeth, refusing to scream. He couldn't afford to show weakness. Not now.

He struck back, fists hammering against the lion's side. Each punch sent a jolt of pain through his hands, as if he were striking solid bronze. But he didn't stop. With a furious roar, he rained down blow after blow, the echoes of his strikes reverberating through the cave.

At last, the beast released him with a pained snarl.

Hercules staggered back, blood dripping from his arm onto the stone floor. Across from him, the lion panted heavily, golden eyes locked onto his. Both were wounded. Neither would surrender.

If its hide was truly invulnerable, then he needed a different strategy.

Exhaling sharply, he muttered to himself, "Fine. Let's get creative."

He charged, throwing a feinting punch. As expected, the lion dodged and lunged for his arm—just as it had before.

A feral grin spread across Hercules' face.

"Still just an animal, after all."

As the beast's jaws snapped shut, he twisted his arm, seizing its powerful maw with both hands. He ignored the searing pain of its teeth pressing against his skin and began pulling, straining to pry the monster's jaws open.

Every muscle in his body tightened. Veins bulged. He dug his feet into the ground, forcing the lion back with sheer brute strength.

The beast thrashed, claws slashing wildly, trying to tear into his legs. But Hercules shifted, weaving just out of reach.

The lion snarled, its teeth gleaming under the dim cave light. Its body trembled against his grip. But even with all his might, he couldn't break its skull—the indestructible hide protected even that.

For the first time, doubt flickered in his mind.

"You've got to be—"

His back slammed into cold stone. He had unknowingly been forced against the cavern wall. The lion knew it too. Seizing the moment, it raked its claws across his side, cutting deep. Hercules let out a guttural grunt of pain.

Then, using his own body as leverage, the beast kicked off the wall and sprang backward, putting distance between them.

A dull thud echoed as Hercules dropped to one knee, his hand pressed against the fresh wound on his side. His breaths came ragged, his body screaming in protest.

When he looked up, he saw it.

The lion's eyes gleamed with satisfaction.

The gaze of a predator moments away from devouring its prey.

His vision blurred. His muscles refused to move. Warm blood trickled down his skin. He braced himself against the cavern wall, for the first time in years, feeling the weight of defeat.

Then, a voice shattered the silence.

"HERCULES!"

A desperate, trembling cry echoed through the cave.

His eyes snapped wide open.

No.

He couldn't die here. He couldn't let his nephew walk into the jaws of death.

The lion's ears perked at the sound. It turned, golden eyes narrowing. It crouched low, preparing to leap.

"You won't," Hercules growled.

The beast launched itself forward—

But Hercules grabbed its tail.

With a defiant roar, he ripped the lion off the ground and spun, using the monster's own momentum against it. Every fiber of his godlike strength surged through his body as he heaved the beast overhead—

And slammed it into a pile of jagged stones.

The impact was catastrophic. The cave trembled as shards of rock exploded in all directions. The lion tumbled into the rubble, momentarily stunned.

Hercules didn't wait to see if it would rise again.

A shocked Iolaus barely had time to react before his uncle grabbed him by the arm and dragged him out of the cave.

They stumbled into the cold night air, gasping. Hercules swayed, but he didn't fall.

He turned to look at the dark maw of the cave.

The lion didn't follow.

Even so…

This battle was far from over.

His fists clenched, his rage burning hotter than his wounds.

He had fled. He had escaped.

And never in his life had Hercules felt such fury.