TITLE: Measure of a Hero
AUTHOR: Sky Pie
RATING: G
SUMMARY: Cheiron sends Hercules, Lilith, and Alexia on a special mission that leads to some rocky results. This is a sequel to "Welcome to the Academy."
DISCLAIMER: The character of Alexia is mine. All Young Hercules characters do not belong to me and no copyright infringement is intended. This is an original work of fiction. Any similarities to other fan fictions or stories are entirely coincidental.
AUTHOR'S NOTE: I began writing this story on June 31, 2003 and completed it on February 3, 2004. However, it suffered severe editing by a thoroughly embarrassed author on July 30, 2006. As much as I hate my writing, I admit that I actually kind of like this one. The people I want to thank know who they are and shall remain nameless in order to protect their reputation and safety.
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Tap. Tap. Tap. The female cadet repeatedly drummed her fingers on the armrest of the elaborately carved wooden chair. She began to shuffle around in her seat, anxious to find out why she was there in the first place. Alexia had been sent to Cheiron's office for a reason unknown to her and was waiting just outside his door. She figured it was because she had gotten into some sort of trouble and was going to be reprimanded for it. Though she couldn't figure out what for; the young brunette hadn't done anything mischievous—at least not in the past few days.
Maybe he found out about the goose fat incident, she thought, but that had been a while back.
"Hey Alexia. What are you doing here?" Lilith asked as she walked over, bringing Alexia out of her thoughts.
"I don't know exactly," she replied. "I was told to come down to Cheiron's office after practice."
"Me too. You don't think we're in trouble, do you?" Lilith queried.
Alexia shrugged. "Knowing us, we very well could be." Even though they were amongst the top cadets at the academy, she and Lilith were infamous for causing a little chaos every now and again—especially to their male peers.
"Hey guys." Hercules said as he approached the two. "What's going on?"
"We were both sent to Cheiron's office, although we don't know why." Lilith told him.
"That's funny, so was I," he remarked.
"Uh-oh. If Hercules got sent down, we're DEFINITELY in trouble!" Alexia exclaimed. Lilith laughed while Hercules made a face at the two girls who found his habit of getting into tangles amusing. He was about to come back with a retort when the office doors were pushed open. The cadets looked up to see Cheiron standing in front of them.
"I've been expecting you three," he said. "Come in." The trio trailed in after the centaur, stopping to stand in front of his desk. He motioned with his hand for them to take a seat, and they did so in the chairs that sat before him. As she glanced around the room, Alexia couldn't help thinking that the wise and kind headmaster could also be pretty intimidating at times.
"So Cheiron, why did you send for us?" Hercules asked.
"I've summoned you three because I have a special assignment for you." The cadets exchanged glances, having renewed interest for the conversation.
"It appears that I have run out of a certain herb, one that is crucial for healing." Cheiron explained. "A small amount of this herb can do wonders, but if taken in a larger dose, the results can be fatal."
Alexia gulped. She didn't like what she was hearing so far.
"To ensure that it won't fall into the wrong hands, a considerable portion is stored inside a cave just north of the academy. I would go and get it myself, but I have a lot of work here that I must attend to. Therefore, I would like the three of you to retrieve it for me."
"But why us?" Alexia asked.
"Because you are some of my most trusted and responsible pupils. You work well together, and I believe that you will be able to handle the task." Hercules, Lilith, and Alexia were all taken aback by their teacher's compliment. Alexia was both baffled and flattered that he held her in such high regard.
"I wouldn't let you go if there was any great danger, but there is always a chance that something could go wrong. That is why I am sending three people. If one of you gets hurt, one can stay with that person and the other can go seek help."
"What about the academy? Won't we be missing a lot?" Lilith inquired.
"You should only be gone for two days at the most. If you return with the herb, I will excuse you of the work that you miss. However, you will have to review the material on your own before final examinations."
The cadets could hardly believe their ears. Getting a break from school and not having to make up work? It was like the Fates were being especially nice to them for some bizarre reason.
"I take it that you all accept my proposition?" Cheiron asked.
"Yes," they replied simultaneously.
A small smile spread across the headmaster's face at his students' enthusiasm. "Good. You will pack your things tonight and begin your journey tomorrow at dawn. I will provide you with a map and some medical supplies in case of an emergency. If you move at a gradual pace, you should return at dusk the following day."
"Listen, Cheiron, thank you for trusting us with this responsibility. It's an honor." Hercules said humbly.
"Yeah, and you can be sure that we won't let you down." Lilith promised.
Cheiron smiled at them again. "You may go now," he said simply, before turning his attention to a manuscript that lay on his desk. The three cadets got up and walked out of the room quietly, but as soon as the door closed behind them, they all let out cheers of delight.
"YES!"
"Whoo-hoo!"
"Two days off!"
"Oh yeah!"
They continued to talk about the trip ahead when Hercules became aware of an uneasy feeling in the pit of his stomach. He tried to shrug it off at first, but it persisted to gnaw at his conscience. For some odd reason, he sensed that something might go awry during their journey. The young demigod became silently troubled at this inexplicable notion, and after he had ceased talking for a while, his female companions noticed something was bothering him.
"Herc, are you all right? You're awfully quiet over there." Alexia asked.
"Yeah, I'm fine," he fibbed. "It's just that I might be having second thoughts about this trip." Lilith and Alexia looked at him as if he were crazy. Hercules further explained, "I don't know why, but I have this feeling in my gut that something bad is going to happen."
Lilith placed a reassuring hand on her friend's shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Hercules. You heard what Cheiron said; he wouldn't send us if he didn't think we could handle it. We'll be fine."
"Besides," Alexia added, "how can you pass up an extra break from the academy?"
Hercules sighed, knowing that he was probably acting too cautious. "Yeah, I guess you guys are right."
"We know we are," said Lilith complacently.
"C'mon, let's go tell the others and rub it in." Alexia suggested.
Hercules and Lilith gave her stern looks. "Alexia..."
"What? I was only joking!"
The two rolled their eyes at her and headed back to the dormitory, resuming discussing their plans for the following day. Hercules slowly began to feel better, his previous apprehension fading away for the time being. Despite all the excitement, the three friends did manage to get some sleep that night because they needed to be rested and refreshed for the next morning.