Hercules could not enjoy the relief of sending Megara away from the dragon who had slaughtered her ancestors. Without her presence, the same bravado that had caused him to open the cave drained out of him in a heavy sweat that made him feel himself a coward.
Where was Phil? Where was anyone?
The dragon had a long, snakelike neck and teeth that couldn't fit in its mouth. They stood out at all angles, and Hercules couldn't help but envision them piercing his skin. He was strong but not invulnerable. The creature lumbered forward on four legs.
He'd chosen this. He had known it was a trap, and he walked brazenly toward it. Well, now he'd have to face those consequences as if he weren't afraid. Nobody had left the city to watch a fearful hero. He had to draw on his years of experience during his training.
Once, he'd received a terrible nightmare from Phantasos where he'd envisioned himself fighting a many-headed-Hydra so many times that he felt more comfortable with the idea of fighting one in real life. Where was that courage now?
"Herc! Watch your right!" Megara's voice called from above.
The Hydra had lowered its head and was coming for him at an angle.
Stuffing down his fear, Hercules steadied his grip on his sword.
This monster threatened everyone in Thebes, and he'd released it so he could kill it. There was no time for mortal fear. All he needed to do was focus on ending this monster so that no hapless Theban would ever fall prey to it.
The creature snapped at him, but Hercules was faster.
"That's it, dance around it!" Phil called to him from above.
Hercules was briefly distracted by his trainer's voice. Where was it coming from?
The Hydra bore down on him with jaws ready to engulf him.
Somewhere, he heard Megara's scream, which drowned out his own fear. He had to fight, not freeze in horror.
Hercules stuck his sword straight up so it hit the roof of the Hydra's mouth with its own force.
The beast recoiled at the unexpected pain, and its blood dripped green and goopy on his head.
With this new freedom from the disoriented monster, Hercules heard Megara call down, "It's immortal! You have to trap it!"
Immortal monsters were extremely rare.
He'd wonder where it got that trait later. Once it was vanquished.
"You're not an expert in monsters. Stay outta this!" Phil barked at Megara.
But what if he needed something she had to say?
"Don't cut off any heads!" Megara called. "It's a Hydra! You'll only get more heads if you do that!"
"You can't give monster trivia. That's what I do!"
Phil ought to learn to shut his trap.
Hercules dodged each advance of the Hydra, stalling for time to think of what he'd do.
When Phantasos had plagued him with nightmares, he'd gotten eaten by a multi-headed Hydra. This one only had one head. Was it a different creature? Would anything he'd learned come in handy?
The Hydra wrapped itself around so that while Hercules was running away, it blocked his path, with jaws wide open.
Possessed by some rage at the unfairness of facing an immortal creature, Hercules launched himself between those jaws.
He heard Megara scream in horror, but he had a plan. Once he was in the monster's mouth, he stretched as far as he could go and then twisted to one side, holding the teeth firmly.
The crack that sounded at his attack gave Hercules hope this battle would soon be over.
Hercules jumped back out of the Hydra's mouth and dropped himself to the ground.
The monster was shaken, and its jaw hung slack.
"Get up on the Hydra's back!" Phil shouted.
That sounded like a great idea, and since he was currently out of ideas, Hercules did as he was told. He wound up for a serious jump and landed atop the Hydra's head with a heavy slam. Then, rather than wait for it to recover, he ran up the neck.
That crack had been louder than the first. Now the Hydra fell limp. Hercules raced to the juncture of neck and body, which he slashed through. From up on the Hydra's back, he couldn't reach all the way through the neck of the beast with his sword, but he had severed its spine.
While its head twisted and tried to rise, it had no connection to its body, and so all it could do was snap weakly at nothing.
Hercules almost felt pity for the beast.
"Herc!" Megara called. "You have to contain it!"
Like it had been contained before the trap was sprung?
Hercules had a better idea. He slid down the leg of the monster and lifted the stone that had blocked the cave. He slammed it down on the Hydra's snapping head.
That was the end of it.
Even if the creature somehow survived, it was not going anywhere.
Already, Thebans were cheering, but Hercules wasn't done yet. It wasn't enough to have only one stone.
He whistled for Pegasus, flew to the top of the gorge, and split the rock wall, raining a multitude of stones upon the beast. Only then did he fly Pegasus around to survey his victory and check on Megara.
A pair of yellow eyes caught his. Golden flames forged of pure rage left no doubt who had arranged this event.
Hercules mock-saluted his uncle. "Thanks for the collab!" he called. "Maybe one of these days you'll stop being such a coward and face me yourself!" He then saluted the sky. "Father! I've vanquished a monster sent by Hades! Are you proud of me?"
The sky glowed with heavenly light. That seemed proof enough.
Hercules landed Pegasus in front of his cheering fans, bowed, and flexed for them—everything he'd been taught to do.
The Thebans swarmed him and welcomed him into their midst. High above, he caught sight of Megara and sent Pegasus after her.
Medusa was still standing there with her.
Another knot to detangle.
Hercules allowed his new fans to carry him away victorious.
Pegasus would bring Meg wherever he wound up. He was grateful as he was carried down the road leading to Thebes. He'd never had such a wide circle. While many had learned his name today or learned to care, he wasn't subject to the whims of a fickle crowd.
He could bask today, but if this same crowd were to lose interest tomorrow, at least he'd have Meg. No other presence in his life had ever been so soothing. He couldn't wait to share this night of celebration with her.