64

I felt a faint tingling in my right hand. Pulling back the bandage, I saw the curse had loosened its grip only slightly, a couple of millimeters but still, I could feel the nerves slowly beginning to heal. Carefully tightening the bandage again, I returned to the task at hand.

Stepping cautiously along the branch, I approached the fruit. The apples truly resembled pure gold; in each one, I saw my own reflection, as if gazing into a mirror. Taking one, I hurled it toward Heracles and Philoctetes, slowing its fall just before it reached them. The satyr caught it deftly and gently placed it in the basket. I continued picking the apples one by one and passing them down until the basket brimmed with them.

"That's enough," came a voice behind me.

I turned and saw a nymph. She looked more like a plant than a woman only her face retained human features; the rest was woven from leaves, branches, and bark.

"You should take no more," she said softly. "We let you gather the fruit without interference. That is already a gift."

"Thank you for that," I nodded. "But I don't collect them for myself. This is for all of Greece."

"These fruits will suffice," said the nymph. "Each apple is enough to heal ten thousand. Across all Hellas, there are no more than two hundred thousand afflicted. If you hurry, you can save them all."

"Tell me, as a nymph you're more bound to nature than any other. Where is Demeter?" I asked.

The nymph opened her mouth but hesitated. Her gaze turned distant.

"I cannot help you in this," she finally said. "You must find her on your own. We are bound by oath and ancient magic."

"I understand. Then I shall take no more. Thank you for everything," I said.

"Go now. We have hidden your presence here as long as we could. You cannot stay any longer," she replied, and melted back into the branches of the tree.

Climbing down the same path, I passed the body of Ladon once more. When I reached the basket of fruit, I noticed Heracles was tense his clenched hands revealed how hard he was restraining himself. And before he could charge the dragon with a battle cry, we needed to leav fast.

The satyr tried to lift the basket but failed it was too heavy. Heracles reached for it, but I stopped him. I would rather carry it myself than entrust it to anyone else.

I strapped on my gear, reinforced the basket's weave so it wouldn't break under the weight, and we began the journey back.

"Aren't we going to fight Ladon?" Heracles asked, clearly disappointed. "The two of us could take him down easily."

"No. We will not endanger the Tree of Life. The nymphs let us pass, even allowed us to take part of the harvest. We will not repay kindness with blood," I said firmly.

"Tch," Heracles scoffed in frustration.

And at that moment, a primal roar echoed above the forest, rolling like thunder across the island.

"A fight it is, then!" Heracles bellowed, his warrior spirit ignited.

I spun around toward the tree. Ladon was stirring from his slumber his massive body rising, dozens of heads turning their gaze straight at us.

"Looks like we've been spotted after all," I said.

But why? The nymphs said we were hidden… The spell must have worn off.

"Heracles! Time to put those fists to proper use! Hold Ladon back I'll get the basket to the ship and return to aid you. Philoctetes, fall back as far as you can!" I shouted, quickening my pace toward the shore.

"It will be done!" the satyr called back.

Behind me, battle erupted crashes, flashes, and roars. Fire, lightning, ice, and light merged into a blinding storm of chaos. It felt as if the island itself would ignite from the force unleashed.

Androcles, thankfully, understood. The ship was already prepared to depart. I tossed the basket of apples aboard and turned just in time. One of the dragon's lightning bolts was hurtling straight toward the vessel.

Runes on my shield flared to life as I stepped in its path. The bolt moved with terrifying speed had I not possessed supernatural reflexes, I wouldn't have intercepted it in time. The shield reflected the beam back at Ladon. As the dragon unleashed his fury, I stood firm, deflecting his magic and shielding the ship's retreat.

But the dragon kept advancing toward the shore.

I spotted a large object hurtling through the sky and, rather than raising my shield, simply stepped aside. Heracles crashed into the sand beside me at full speed, leaving only his legs sticking out of the ground.

"Flying low... must be rain coming," I muttered, eyeing him.

Heracles yanked himself out of the sand with both hands, spitting out everything that had gotten into his mouth.

"Kh! Beast's got strength. This will be a glorious battle," he grunted, cracking his neck.

"The dragon can't swim, and it has no wings. Most likely, it can't leave the island. We only need to delay it," I said.

"One of its heads would look perfect on the wall of my home," Heracles chuckled.

"You're welcome to try and claim your trophy," I smirked.

Taking my words to heart, Heracles sprang forward and grabbed one of the dragon's necks, choking it with such brute force that the spine began to crack. Flesh crumpled beneath his grip as he started to rip the head clean off.

The other heads thrashed wildly, snapping and writhing to throw him off.

I rushed in, striking at the beast's torso while dodging its fangs and claws. Ladon tried to hit me with magic, but after his spells were repeatedly deflected, he resorted to physical attacks instead. That, too, worked against him.

"Your head is mine!" Heracles roared. The scales tore, and with a mighty heave, he ripped the head free, bathing himself in dragon's blood.

Ladon howled. Magic erupted from his many jaws, flooding the land with every element wind, fire, stone, lightning. The very earth trembled under the onslaught.

"Heracles, we're leaving! No point in fighting further!" I shouted.

Will surged through my body, and I soared into the sky, away from the island.

Heracles followed with a powerful leap. After a short flight, he splashed into the sea and swam toward the ship, slicing through the waves like a dolphin.

Almost reaching the vessel, I aimed for the deck. At the last second, I slowed my descent, but still landed with such force that the wood groaned beneath my feet, nearly cracking.

Moments later, Heracles burst from the water and crashed onto the deck in a fountain of spray.

Ladon watched us with all his heads as the ship slowly drifted from the shore. His scaly body began to shimmer ribbons of energy raced across his hide. Then, behind him, wings unfurled first woven from pure magic, then taking on physical form.

"He can fly?" I asked in disbelief.

"Huh… astonishing," Philoctetes murmured.

"You said that was unlikely," I shot back, eyes locked on the rising beast.

"Apparently not impossible," the satyr shrugged.

"Heracles! Back to the island! We stand a better chance there!" I commanded and without waiting for a reply, grabbed him and took off.

Ladon had already lifted off the ground, but I reached him first. Flying straight toward the beast, I hurled Heracles onto its spine. I landed atop one of the heads and drove my spear deep into its base. A roar of pain tore through the sky as the dragon plummeted back to the earth.

Landing beside it, I summoned the spear back to my hand. Every head turned toward me in unison, and a tidal wave of magic crashed down. My shield barely held under the relentless surge fire, lightning, ice, all merging into a furious storm. I deflected the blast, but the shield grew hot in my grasp. It was nearing its limit. One more barrage, and I wouldn't be able to hold it.