An Echo of the Past…
"It still puzzles me to this day, that despite how immortalized I am for my efforts in the Argo, I still have only ONE movie to my name! And it's an old one too!" a voice was heard with a slight slur as the blonde king of Iolcos once more took another sip of wine into his lips. He frowned to himself as he watched the film progress in all its splendor and glory.
"I think it's neat Lord Jason, if anything having one good film is better immortalized than having multiple versions of the same tale entirely. Plus, I do think that film was made quite well." The girl beside him said as she wiped some of the lingering droplets of wine on his lips. He quickly wished to move her hand away but given how inebriated he currently was, he did not mind it one bit.
"I thought it was rubbish… it embellished Jason's feats in it as if it were reality. None of it was even close to the things that he's done, given he's always been at the backline doing nothing." A voice came to counter the praise as the green-haired woman with lion ears sticking out of her head said with a frown as she tended to a baby that was on her lap. The girl besides, Jason, merely let out her tongue in exchange as the green-haired woman sighed.
"I for one, actually appreciate the gesture for the changes the film has made. Even if overexaggerated, I believe some of it did hold the spirit of what the Argo was." Another voice said within the room as they continued to watch the film that was on television.
"Gee… of all the people that supported me other than her… didn't think it would be you teach." Jason said as he looked at his master, the once immortal Chiron looking at him with a smile.
"The songs for this film are pretty catchy though, like the songs most court singers and priests in temples sung in droves." The girl, Medea said beside Jason as most in the room agreed, even the one carrying a child on her lap, Atalanta felt the same as the child in her arms cooed and laughed at the songs.
"Of course, it would be a movie about him though… he was pretty special," Jason said with a small smile on his lips as the opening song finished and the film moved towards the next scene, that of Mount Olympus…
"I have no doubt whatsoever, to this day there are many depictions of him. Quite astounding when you think about it." Chiron added as the rest hummed in agreement.
They continued watching the film with how it depicted the Grecian Deities but as much as they enjoyed it so far, they did not expect that someone had also entered the room, quietly like a thief in the night, without having anyone notice their presence.
This person, who was in a comfortable mood quickly froze in place as he looked at the screen.
His expression, unreadable to most people, would have made those within the room nervous and awkward as the film, clearly for children showed the spawn of Zeus and incidentally, Hera to be the parents of the child with his namesake.
This man, Heracles by name, stood in silence as the events in the film unfolded.
"Bah! Whoever made this film has poor taste… poor Heracles would have been scorned for being related at all to that bitch." Jason said as he threw a piece of popcorn at the screen, making it jump harmlessly on it before Chiron and others laughed in irony at the film.
"While it is not my right to disrespect any of the Goddesses of Olympus, I do agree that our friend would have felt rather disturbed at this." Atalanta begrudgingly said as the child in her lap continued to become mesmerized by the film.
"Still feels wrong, you know… making it look like that just to make it appeal to children," Medea added as she frowned despite being amused with the film so far.
"Eh, it's just a film… don't have to be too mad about it. It's like one of those plays back in the day. Mostly rubbish, since they're all fiction you know?" Jason said as he took another sip of his glass.
Heracles, who was behind the couch Jason was sitting at was still frozen as he watched the film progress… until his teacher, one of his many guilts finally noticed him and frowned.
"Heracles… are you alright dear friend?" he asked, making the room fall silent as they all froze, after finally noticing that the one who was being portrayed in the film was actually there with them. Medea quickly paused the film with the remote as slowly she and Atalanta turned to the silent hero who was still looking at the screen almost like in a trance.
"Shit." Jason cursed as he tried to look away after what he had just said earlier.
"Heracles?" Chiron once more asked as he was now poised to sit up from his chair.
Heracles on the other hand managed to shake his head as if finally freed from his thoughts as he looked at his teacher and to the rest of his comrades.
"N-No… it's fine. It just brought forth some memories, that's all." He said with a troubled smile as Chiron frowned. Atalanta's ears were on full alert, knowing full well of the bouts of rage that sometimes would be found in her comrade, doubly so with the child in her lap, yet she trusted enough that with her friend not being in his Berserker class, that he would temper his emotions down.
Medea, however, was wrought with some degree of guilt knowing that it was her choice to watch this film with a select few who were present within their quarters. Jason felt some of the liquor in him grow worse as he thought about how awkward and unwieldy this situation was.
Thankfully none of the familiar rage that Great Hero was known for was cast as he sighed much to the relief of everyone present as he brought forth a neutral smile over them.
"It's like what Jason said, merely a film. I do wish for you all to carry on, for even the child in Atalanta's arms is amused." He stated even as the tension in the room still remained.
"Are you sure, dear friend?" Atalanta asked.
"I am… though I will ask to watch this Jason and the Argonauts film next time, seems interesting in hindsight." He said as Jason immediately perked up.
"You think so? Well, I'm sure you'll know Heracles that-
Jason continued on to talk as Medea and Chiron watched the man's expression change even if slightly. He still had a neutral smile on his face but the two knew that he was still troubled underneath…
And despite their friend being summoned to a class that made him the peak of what he once was, they knew that the scars of the past still lingered within in…
PRESENT…
"Let's not play dumb here, Mr. Kirsch… I know you and your associates are aware of something that most of the population in the world is not aware of in the first place." Miss Stillwell said as she looked at their master with that smug look on her face.
Heracles watched closely at the two as it reminded him of his many dealings with Eurystheus. Their master was of a noble sort, despite his otherwise aristocratic air, his many dealings with him resulted in him fully trusting their master and what he wished to achieve for this world.
If anything, he was quite curious how this entire deal was going to play out.
"I don't seem to understand Miss Stillwell, you're not making any sense at all with the way you're talking currently," Wodime said as Heracles saw Asclepius refocus on his tablet.
"Oh, don't give me that bullshit… I know you're aware of where the gods roaming in our skies come from… I know you're aware of how the capes, the heroes, and every sort of colorful jerk out there come from. They're not divine gifts… they're not accidents that give some random person across the street the ability to shoot webs out of their asses..."
The woman leans closer. "And I know you're aware that Homelander isn't some sort of child of God, Allah, or whatever the hell sort of name people call their Man in the Sky with."
Heracles watches as their master smiles. Candidly if anything.
"I applaud Miss Stillwell, this whole conversation of ours proves to me that you're the sort of person that removes the fantasy out of the stories and passion people have over heroes. You're the kind that wishes to wake people out of their lovely dreams… by flushing rushing water down people's faces as if to drown them."
The woman did not leave her smile, but the small tick in her eyes made Heracles feel that the advantage was taken away from her entirely.
"But as to your accusations… Miss Stillwell, I am not fully aware of what you are implying or talking about in the slightest. If ever there was something that was as interesting as you proclaimed, I'm sure company policy would stop me from saying anything further about it… isn't that right Caster?"
Heracles watched as Asclepius hummed in response.
The woman then stared at them, and even at him for a moment before looking away.
"How do you do it? Mr. Kirsch? Did you perhaps synthesize a better version of the serum? Because I highly doubt that you have any means of creating it yourself, given that most of your retinue's abilities can be theorized to be mostly based on ours…"
Wodime continued to keep that smile on his face much to Heracles' amusement as he leaned further to be level with the woman as well. "You and your company are the ones who imply that your gifts, your prized heroes are the makings of the divine Miss Stillwell. Perhaps the better question would be, is what if some of the heroes out there today, Olympia or not, are products of the beliefs, passions, and culture of the many people out there in the world? Perhaps some of them are actually divine in nature and not just corporate lapdogs feeding the world of business to their own charity."
"You make it sound as if you believe those nutjobs in the first place, Mr. Kirsch." The woman challenged with a smirk. "I did not expect you to be of the superstitious type… much less a man of faith."
His master laughs. "Oh, believe me, Miss Stillwell, I have had enough of my fill of Gods and Faith. Their… teachings and monikers are pretty much stations of the Old World. Though some of their values can still be taught and are still relevant in some form to this day, I merely believe them as pages in history to learn from, not as designated truth or superstitious belief."
"I see… I don't see how this concerns my question, however." The woman said in a faux-flattering way.
"Then the point must have jumped ahead of your focus Miss Stillwell, for all supremacy you hold and believe, you have yet to consider that perhaps one day… perhaps even now, someone or something out there will make your heroes and your symbols as things of the past. Like those beliefs and myths, I mentioned earlier… relics of the past. Overtaken by the new, better contemporaries." Wodime said much to Heracles' surprise due to the praise but he put those feelings aside as he continued watching.
"Then you do admit it. Mr. Kirsch…"
"Oh, I am not admitting to anything Miss Stillwell. Perhaps it's only your imagination and biases that make you feel that way."
The woman frowned until she turned her head to Heracles who looked unamused.
"What about him? Archer if I am not mistaken… how do you explain him? If your version of the formula is based on ours, you would be keen to know that we are not intimidated by what sort of abilities your retinue possesses. We are interested in it actually." She said as she smiled at him.
"Pardon me? I don't get what you are implying." His master asked.
The woman then pulled out a file and handed it over to his master as he opened it. Heracles watched as the woman's eyes remained on him much to his discomfort. "Ah, seismic readings… from a recent eruption of an active volcano… I still don't follow."
"Don't act stupid Mr. Kirsch, we know pretty well who caused such readings. It might have flown over people's heads, but we did watch the entire affair take shape…"
FOUR DAYS AGO…
The campgrounds near Keshero, Congo named camp DES DÉPLACÉS RUSAYU was a place where displaced people inhabited. Most of the population were placed in tents that doubled as their homes. It was already a large community with thousands of families present and given that they were there coming as providers of relief goods and medical aid, the servants of Olympia tasked with this endeavor had done it with pride and honor given their stature.
Most of the people hired by their master's burgeoning international company had gone to spread the goods in equal fashion to the interested and amused families that quickly grouped over them and their transport in droves. It was quite a meaningful sight, as Heracles watched over the crowd with a silent eye while his comrades did most of the work.
He had done his fair share as well, with many people while afraid of him at first were easily comforted when he gently gave many of the families in his place some of the aid that he was given a stack of. However, he was relegated to guard duty, mostly by his own choice given that his comrades were already doing fine without him.
The older, Adult Medea was doing quite well with some of the relief giving as she even amused some of the crowd with her magics. A genuine smile on her face made Heracles feel comfortable given her history, as she even helped some of the women and children with some gifts of fine clothes in her expense.
Odysseus, a fellow hero of his time period was the leader of the entire enterprise as he tasked many of those hired by Olympia with ample strategy and efficiency. Many people had turned to him given his rather more pleasing appearance given the proclivities of modern taste as families and even adults were overjoyed with his presence.
A few other servants joined them in this mission as well, most of them allowing a degree of levity within the people as they let out some manner of hope in their hearts to kindle those within the camp-city's confines. Heracles smiled in some way for that, as he watched in solace…
"You okay big man?" a voice said beside him as Heracles turned to his fellow comrade. The Englishwoman Francis Drake, as she smirked at him even with the scar across her face.
"I am fine Rider… though I wonder why Master specifically placed me in this position."
The woman huffed as she crossed her arms. "Maybe it's to get you out more? You're probably one of the least-seen people within our group for the outside world. Fame sometimes helps you know?"
"Oh, I don't doubt it. I too have had my fair share of such fame in my time. It's just… this world is very new to me, even with the understanding given to us by our summoning."
"Yeah, it sure is, ain't it? The modern world truly is something unique in that sense, but most of the things, even by the measure of your time, still do exist here." She said as they both watched Odysseus being flocked by children wishing for him to fire some of his weaponry and see his 'mech'.
Humans still looked up to heroes. Even if fantasized….
Even if most of the flaws that made them who they were, were forgotten, they still looked up to them.
Heracles was unsure of how to feel about that, he was not against it at all, nor was he unhappy about it… but perhaps the children's film about his life just bothered him more than he thought at first.
"You sure you're okay? Not that I'm invading your privacy, but you're a lot more quiet than normal." She asked with genuine concern as she patted his shoulder.
"I am fine Rider. Just something earlier today that made me think."
"Alright… but if you want a drinking buddy later, I can oblige?" she said teasingly.
He laughed; his voice almost thundering as some even looked at him but he paid no mind to it. "I might take you up on that."
She laughed as well as Odysseus called for her. She walked away with a wave to him as Heracles was left to his own muses.
While doing so, his ears picked up the sound of a sonic boom, and a second later his once comfortable smile was marred with a frown as cheers of people of various kinds flocked towards Vought's poster boy. The Homelander had arrived and greeted his comrades jovially as Heracles watched.
Odysseus looked annoyed as the flow of the entire event was broken by this new arrival, but he kept to himself as the modern hero talked to him.
Even this far in Africa, most of the world knew this man. He was like Zeus in some sense…
Or perhaps, him when he was at the height of his feats in life, but given the nature of these heroes as revealed by his master and to his own understanding, comparing him to his father was quite an apt description of the man himself.
Heracles looked away, as the memory of the film came back to his head.
The overall thought bothered him until he saw a group of children run near him and towards Homelander… he frowned at it until he saw a lone child left by his friends just sitting where he stood and reading a dirtied, musty old book in his hands.
He was not that much of a scholar compared to his other comrades, but he looked at the child and smiled for a bit. He was even interested enough that he walked towards him, even as the child did not look in his direction and continued to read his little book.
As he got closer, the child suddenly spoke. "No… no come near. No… awto grap." He said as he started talking in his native language, frowning at him as Heracles quickly understood what the child was saying. He stopped until the child sighed and looked in the direction where Homelander was.
"No… no hero. He- no hero." The child suddenly said.
He tilted his head, asking why in some form as the child looked at him and somehow understood his body language. "He… no come… when I, papa… mama hungry." He stuttered out, making gestures to make him understand as Heracles looked at him.
"Hero… n-no exist. Papa, mama hero…" the child said as Heracles paid attention and nodded.
He then crouched upon the boy as he looked at him. The boy then looked comfortable enough with his gaze that he shyly moved to him and showed him his book.
But much as Heracles appreciated the gesture, he quickly realized that the book, while poorly imitated from its Western origins, was a storybook of the film, the children's film that he was bothered about the whole day. A troubled smile graced his features as this company, this Disney portrayed his life in such a distant lens from his own. Still, the innocence of the child before him didn't seem to detect his discomfort as he looked at Heracles proudly.
"I… I wish… I was hero. L-ike Hercules. So… I s-save Papa… mama." He gestured as the boy turned the page showing Hercules returning and embracing his mortal father and mother, Amphitryon and Alcemene as shown in the film.
Heracles smiled at the boy with that small gesture as the boy grinned at him.
"H-hercules is strongest in the world!"
Immediately a vague memory from a time long before came into his head which produced a small smile that he gave to the boy. "I believe someday you can, child… I can believe in that." He said as the boy chuckled at him.
"T-Thank you." He said as he gave the book back to the child.
The child ran along as Heracles in a way, made peace with the film from that small aura of hope that the child showed him. He smiled much more freely this time as he stood up.
Only for the jovial tune of the entire camp to change…
When the world rumbled around them, and the nearby volcano, Mount Nyamuragira suddenly exploded violently… as if Hephaestus himself was woken back to life.
The communication between his comrades was in chaos as Odysseus barked orders left and right to save the many people surrounding the areas near the volcano. The ash was high up in the air as volcanic bombs, strangely in sizes that were bigger than normal flew across the air.
Drake in her flying ship shot some of them as they exploded in mid-air violently albeit she vaporized them completely without harm to those on the surface. She carried with her some people she saved as the eruption became deadlier in the next few moments.
People screamed all around as Heracles and the rest saved many and helped them to evacuate until a powerful burst from the volcano happened again and large volcanic bombs flew into the air like missiles of a siege. One was headed towards a large communal center with a hundred civilians…
Until Medea flew into the air and erected a large shield that encompassed them all.
"ARCHER!" she screamed as Heracles came into action…
He nocked his arrows within his bow and let them loose.
THOOOOOOOOUUUUUMMM!
A powerful gust of wind was ejected as his arrows, far more powerful than any force known to man in this world flew at speeds faster than anything perceived as they literally vaporized and damn near erased the volcanic bombs before some of them crashed into Medea's shield.
People cheered for them as they all saw Homelander flying around, firing his beams onto more projectiles that were to bring harm to the cities and places filled with people around the volcano.
Heracles then saw Medea relay her voice much stronger against the crowds as she motioned for them to follow Odysseus' command for their evacuation.
While doing so, voices from his comrades started to be relayed in his head.
"Hey… we still got more people by the East! There's a small town where they're trapped from getting anywhere!" Drake said.
"Handle it, we're still holding the bulk of the evacuations this way…" Odysseus said as more voices both in the earpiece he wore and through the mental links of their master prospered as Heracles ran and helped an injured elderly couple towards Medea and the rest.
"Do we have sufficient resources to handle the Volcano? Or do we have to focus on the evacuation?" Medea asked as she performed the bulk of the shielding with her spells to defend them all as the other servants on the ground continued to relay with the evacuation.
"Can the volcano being stopped be done in any capacity?" Assassin asked through the link as the rest of the servants discussed with one another what to do with Odysseus' lead.
Heracles however, turned his sights on the volcano…
And ran.
He ran as fast as inhumanly possible, even through the chaos of the eruption, and nocked two arrows with his bow. Nearing the base of the volcano, even as the lava seeped through the ground around it, Heracles released his hold on the arrows and let them loose.
KRAKA-THOOOOOUUUMMM!
The base of the volcano exploded into multiple pieces of rock and a large cavern was unearthed in the aftermath. The hero of Greece then leaped towards the cavern he created and aimed his fist against the furthest depth of it and hit it with enough force that the ground rumbled.
The depth of the cavern became bigger and closer to the magma chamber of the volcano…
Heat and various other deadly effects were exposed to Heracles as he now stood on the edge near where the magma chamber was. He then took a deep breath and forced both his arms on either side of the hole he created and closed his eyes.
The boy's voice from earlier resonated in his mind and laced within it was the voice of a little girl who similarly believed in him with the utmost faith and surety.
"Hercules/Heracles is the strongest in the world!"
He roared with the might of the heavens as Heracles once more…
Proved to make the impossible, possible.
The aftermath was quite bleak.
Despite stopping the volcano from fully destroying the surrounding areas, there were many tears and deaths abound at the end of the eruption. Olympia's servants continued to help in whatever they could, as Odysseus' leadership proved true with how much he had reduced the casualties to a manageable yet still painful number.
Cries of various kinds were heard even with the many thanks and gestures of relief.
Heracles helped with as much as he could, his body wrought with ash with his latest stunt, but even as he was thanked by Odysseus for his valiant effort in stopping it all, he was still sad for how many families and lives were lost.
He always knew of the reality of what a hero meant and despite being used to it, it still made him feel quite discomforted by the many broken families left in this aftermath.
Still, he kept his head high as he did not let emotion cloud his judgment…
Until he saw the boy from earlier standing beside two covered bodies while being alone in a tent. Heracles stopped for a moment as he walked inside, slowly and saw the crying boy as he kept holding onto the cooling hands of what seemed to be his mother.
The boy had yet to detect Heracles so the hero went over to the other covered corpse and opened it slightly. The body was covered in ash indeed, but what caught his attention was the clearly burned line across his chest and head that seemed to indicate the man died of a certain attack.
A beam.
"…" Heracles sighed as he found himself clenching his left fist. That was until his opened hand, was touched by the child who was still crying yet was looking up at him. The way this interaction happened made Heracles remember a little bloodied girl in the snow, her eyes looking at him the same way this child did as he closed his rather large hand upon the boy's own.
Gently.
He then crouched to the boy's height and put him into an embrace.
Heracles could only hear the weak sobs of the boy, but his arms proved to be safe a place. The boy leaned onto him, this small gesture despite the painful aftermath, being one that he would never forget.
AN: I like how this all ended. Haha.