You know dear readers without my friend helping me turn my darling ideas into gold like this the chapter quality would dramatically decrease and here is the link to Her Fanfic account. She is amazing and writes on Wattpad with the same name please check out her stories. If you want to find these stories and have the new content first I suggest following TheChildrenOfTheGods on wattpad thanks for the support

Dylan u/7212600/CSP2708

Maybe I should've been used it to by now, but it seemed that every time I fell through that portal, I wasn't prepared to hit the hard dirt below. And so, as I popped out into another unknown timeline, the ground came up at me, striking me with jaws of stone like an alligator, I let out a loud groan. I was a tumbleweed, though less graceful, and not crossing the road of an old Western town.

No.

Instead, I was in the middle of nowhere, a tall mountain range on one side and endless plains on the other. It looked kind of familiar, but then again, all mountains seemed to look the same. It could've been anywhere, anytime. The brilliant night sky stretched out above me - millions of stars blazing so bright that I could hardly bare to look at them.

I was just about on a breakthrough about figuring out where I was - I was on the brink, I swear - when a dark-haired man came charging out of nowhere with a large club. He wore an old fashioned Greek tunic. A cape of lion skin billowed behind him as he ran directly to the tallest mountain. He hadn't even noticed me.

My jaw dropped. It was Hercules! (or Heracles, for the Greeks)

Gods, he was so muscular - like, it was kind of weird, but I guess that came with the super strength. Then, it all clicked. It was kind of hard to tell without the mountain overshadowing San Francisco, but I realised where I was - mount Othrys. It was one in Greece, obviously, and from the appearance of Hercules, I must've been in ancient times again - just… more recent ancient times.

Was I to witness the twelve trials of Hercules? Or, at least, a few of them? He was on his way to collect a golden apple, to be sure, and would meet Zoe Nightshade, if my memory held. I growled at the thought. Hercules may have been labelled a hero in the myths but I knew the truth., In fact, I'd seen it with my own eyes - in a dream, before, but now, I would see it again, and I would stop him from tricking Zoe like he had. Maybe that was why Kronos sent me back. He wanted me to change things - for the better or worse, I didn't know, but if the former, he probably wanted me to fail. However, who was I to say what was going on in a Titan's mind?

I quickly and quietly followed behind Hercules, up to the top of the mountain - the place where the earth met the sky. Atlas, as always, was imprisoned under the sky, holding the harsh black tempest upon his shoulders. Though, he was higher up the mountain it seemed, and I could not see him, only the weight upon his shoulders. His daughters - Zoe included - were nowhere to be found, but I saw Hercules up ahead at the gates to the garden.

He seemed to be contemplating how to get in without being noticed by Ladon - the dragon guardian - but it seemed impossible to my eyes.

If I'd thought that Ladon was scary before, now, centuries prior, he was at his prime. He was a massive creature, a hundred heads, all tangled around - alert and watching - as the rest of his body curled around the base of the tree of immortality - Hera's wedding gift to Zeus. Why she decided to put it here was still a mystery to me, but maybe I'd go to that time, too, and find out.

Sneaking forward, I stood behind some trees just to his left, and watched as Zoe approached, curious, from his right. She would've seen me - if she hadn't been so focused on Hercules. I couldn't really blame her awe - she must've never seen a man other than her father, and objectively, I guess hercules was rather handsome, if you liked the tall, rugged, hero type. You'd only ever learn that he was a jerk after meeting him.

"Hello," she said, shyly - it was hard to think of Zoe ever being shy, but here she was, in front of me - "Who art thou?"

Hercules puffed out his chest. "Thou has not heard of me?"

She tilted her head, eyes wandering over his form. "No. Should I have?"

"I am Hercules!" he announced, flexing a bicep. "Son of Zeus. And thou art Zoe, correct? The fairest of the hesperides?" He flashed a grin as Zoe blushed.

"I am she, but I would not say that I am the fairest. My sisters are all very beautiful."

Hercules' grin widened. "I would say not, maiden! For you are the most beautiful of all I have seen in my journeys."

Zoe blushed a deeper red. "And why art thou here, mighty Hercules?" she asked.

"I have come for an apple from the tree of immortality, guarded by your dragon, Ladon, It is the quest assigned to me by the god Apollo, and his oracle of Delphi."

"She has spoken to you?" Zoe was intrigued. I guess as a hesperide, she didn't see many outsiders, and certainly didn't travel anywhere. For her wandering spirit, it must;ve been torture to stay here, no matter how fine the garden was.

"Yes. This is the eleventh of my twelve arduous tasks."

That was the moment that Zoe must've realized just what Hercules had said, because her eyes widened and she took a step back from him. "You wish to steal one of our apples? That's won't do. No one can take the apples, not even my sisters or I. Ladon will not let us, for they are not ours to take."

Hercules, seeing his chance, quickly changed the subject. "I see you look wistfully at the world, pretty one. Do you long for adventure?"

Zoe turned, surprised. She sighed. "Yes, but alas, I cannot leave this garden, nor my father or sisters. We are a family bound together by love and trust. And I could not leave Ladon. He is very dear to me, and enjoys when I feed him lamb's meat."

"Pretty one, I could bring you on all my adventures. I could show you the world you dream to see."

Zoe sighed wistfully.

"But I cannot do that if I do not complete my tasks. Are you sure there is no way to obtain the apples?"

Zoe frowned and shook her head. "You cannot take the apples from Ladon. He is too strong."

"I will still try," Hercules said, and then he was dashing into the garden. Zoe tried to call out to him, but he was long gone.

I followed stealthily - my feet were silent from my training in the army. Jumping the fence, I watched as Hercules charged at the beast, but Ladon hissed, all eyes immediately turning to him. With a quick snap of one of his hundred jaws, the club disappeared from Hercules' hand, and became splinters at the dragon's feet.

Before Ladon could strike again, Zoe grabbed Hercules' strong hand and pulled him into the tall grass. They were running together, the grass falling away around them. It was only the displacement of the plants that allowed me to keep track of them, though I was more focused on Ladon, whose many heads followed behind - though his base remained curled around the tree.

I knew what was going on - it was so familiar to me. She was leading him away, and would tell him to trick her father into getting him the apples - just like in my dream. But then, he would abandon her. His empty promises of taking her away, to adventure, from her family who would disown her for helping him.

My eyes tracked them up the hill, and they collapsed behind a thorn bush, panting. Zoe - who before looked wistful and awed at the strange hero, now had a look of terror painted across her face. I didn't doubt that Ladon had never chased her before. She must've raised the old dragon from the time he was a hatchling - they had a bond that ran deeper than family.

Though I couldn't hear them speaking, I knew word for word the conversation.

"There is no need to run," he told her. His voice was filled with confidence, despite the retreat. "I have bested a thousand monsters with my bare hands."

"Not this one," she replied. Just like in my dream, Zoe's voice would be filled with hurt, concern for this handsome stranger that promised her the world. "Ladon is too strong. You must go around, up the mountain to my father. It is the only way."

"I don't trust your father."

"You should not," she agreed. "You will have to trick him. But you cannot take the prize directly. You will die."

I could almost hear Hercules' chuckle form my own hiding place. "Then why don't you help me, pretty one?"

His question - though unheard by my ears - made my blood boil. He was manipulating her. His words would force her to help him, no matter how she felt. I didn't fully understand what he was doing back when I was younger, but now, as I recalled their conversation, now again seeing it, it was clear as day.

"I… I am afraid. Ladon will stop me. My sisters, if they found out… they would disown me."

"Then there's nothing for it." He stood up, and I could see him clearly, rubbing his hands together.

"Wait." Zoe warned, going to stop him. Her gentle hand was a barrier as it landed on his bicep, and he stopped, turning to her. I could see, even from a distance, the indecision on her face. She loved her family, I knew that well, but this handsome stranger, well, people made bad decisions when they thought love was possible. With trembling fingers, she plucked her white brooch from her hair - what would become the sword I now held as well in my pocket. She passed it to him, though a scowl of confusion graced his face instead of gratitude.

"If you must fight, take this. My mother, Pleione, gave it to me. She was a daughter of the ocean, and the ocean's power is within it. My immortal power." She breathed on it, imbuing the weapon with her power. "Take it," she urged. "And make of it a weapon."

Hercules just laughed, and I could hear it from my place. If Ladon wasn't tied to the tree, he would've found them, certainly, far quicker. The only reason they weren't already dead was because he was trying to figure out how to stay wrapped around his tree and chase off the intruders at the same time.

"A hairpin? How will this slay Ladon, pretty one?"

"It may not," she admitted, "But it is all I can offer, if you insist on being stubborn."

Hercules looked down at his hand, which I knew held the hairpin, and quickly, it became the bronze sword I knew so well. I almost growled. He wasn't worthy to wield that sword. It shouldn't have even been in his grubby hands.

"Well balanced," he said. "Though I usually prefer to use my bare hands. What shall I name this blade?"

"Anaklusmos," Zoe said sadly. "The current that takes one by surprise. And before you know it, you have been swept out to sea."

Then, I saw Ladon approach. He had divided his attention successfully. His tail wrapped around the tree while the rest of his body pursued them up the hill. His hundred heads hissed, like a thousand tires deflating at once.

Zoe froze, more terrified than ever. "Too late! He is here!"

They both jumped up and fled in separate directions. I rose as well, and was a mouse scampering along after them as they ascended the mountain. Atlas would be up there, under the sky. Then, I saw something that brought me pause. Ladon had all but abandoned his post at the tree. His boundaries were the garden, after all, and he had not yet seen me. His tail uncurled from the tree, and I saw a chance that I would not be able to give up. I spun and went for the tree. One, two, three steps, and I jumped, plucking an apple with a single swipe of my sword.

Pocketing the apple, I climbed the hill, just as Hercules and Zoe reached the gate. Ladon stopped short at the gate, and, with a satisfied look on his face for chasing the intruders, returned to his tree,completely unaware of the missing apples, which had already grown back.

I crested the hill just as Hercules approached Atlas; Zoe was nowhere to be found. They spoke, though I couldn't hear what was said. However, I knew this part of the legend. Hercules would hold the sky for Atlas if he retrieved the apples from the garden.

Atlas, a devious titan to be sure, gladly let the strongman take his burden and slip out from under the torrent of the sky, stretching his back. A series of sickening pops echoed over the landscape, and I winced.

Then, the other hesperides were there, though Zoe still wasn't among them. I counted, one, two, three, four, all dressed the same, with dark hair and similar features - a Persian princess - though none were as beautiful as Zoe. Where could she be?

"Who are thou?" the quiet voice made me jump, and I spun on the tips of my toes, seeing Zoe. She, too, was crouching, hiding as Hercules had made his deal with her father. She'd seen me; how could I explain everything? At least I was still wearing my Greek tunic from the previous time period and not modern clothes - that would've been hard to explain.

"Well?" she asked, more curious than cold. She seemed so different than how I would meet her, centuries later.

"I'm Percy," I stuttered, too shocked to come up with a fake name.

"And what art thou doing here?"

I suddenly changed the subject. "Hercules won't give you what you want. He's a liar and a murderer. His empty promises will do nothing for you and the only outcome of this will be your downfall."

Zoe backed away slightly. "How could this be? He is an honourable man!"

"Who are you to know? I asked in return, "You've only just met him."

"He already treats me better than anyone has since my mother. My father is a brute and my sisters are only concerned with themselves." Zoe's voice was growing smaller by the second.

"Zoe, believe me; it's all a trick. He doesn't really care about you," I urged.

She pushed me. "Thou knowst nothing! Get out of my sight this instant!" Her feet pattered harshly against the ground as she ran away, while I remained crouched in my hiding place, somehow unnoticed by the others as Atlas returned with three golden apples in hand.

Hercules looked up. "Many thanks to thee, friend. Now, I should be on my way…"

Atlas just laughed. "Thou thought I'd take back the sky from you, boy? Thou hast another thing coming! Never in a millennia will I have to hold that damned sky!"

"Please, sir, only for a moment. If I am to hold this burden for all eternity, I must be in the right position. Just hold it for a moment while I adjust my arm."

Atlas, being young and naive - something I never thought I'd say - seemed to agree. "Alas! I hate it when one is uncomfortable! Well, that mercy was given to me during my imprisonment, so I will grant it to you as well. Let me take the burden - but only for a moment!"

"Of course, of course. Thank you, kind sir," Hercules said as he adjusted his footing. Atlas stepped forward, taking the sky from his shoulder.

Big mistake.

Hercules, with his youth and agility, leapt out from under the sky as soon as Atlas took one handful of the tempest, leaving the titan to collapse under its weight. The "hero" darted out of the way, a sly grin on his face. He'd outwitted the Titan - with Zoe's help, mind you. She'd told him exactly what he'd needed to do and say to get his way, in return to protection from her family's rage and the promise of adventure. But, I knew how it would end. He would betray her and leave her to die.

Hercules took the apples from Atlas, when suddenly, a glow lit up the hill. I turned away, though immediately looked back, curious. I couldn't remember what had happened after Hercules stole the apples - how had the myth gone again?

My eyes widened.

It was Athena. She looked at him, her wise grey eyes - though unwrinkled with youth, still held the vast knowledge of the world within them. "Young hero," she said, acknowledging his presence. "I have been sent by Hera.

Hercules grinned. "My lady, I have retrieved the golden apples from the garden of the Hesperides. Please tell Lady Hera that my task is complete and I am ready for the next." He showed her the three apples, then went to put them in his bag.

Athena frowned. "While you possess the apples and completed your task, but you did not complete this task alone. You were aided, and used dishonesty and trickery to accomplish this feat, instead of bravery and valour. You are not worthy to keep these apples, therefore, I shall return them to the tree, where they rightfully belong." She snapped her fingers, and the apples vanished from Hercules' hands. He grasped at the open air, affronted.

"But… My lady -" he protested. However, Athena was already gone.

When the confusion and astonishment faded, rage settled in, and Hercules stomped his way down the hill, back to the garden, where Zoe was waiting for him, a hopeful expression on her face. I followed closely behind, but not before checking my bag to see that the apples were still there. Had they not seen me? Or, since I picked the apples myself, was I allowed to keep them?

Hercules was headed straight for Zoe, so I ran as quickly as I could, ready to step in if need be.

3045

Dylan Walts

CSP2708