chapter 12 (edited)

Cyd cursed under his breath, eyeing the massive lion sprawled lazily by the tree trunk, its keen senses always on alert.

"It just won't let up," Cyd muttered, frustration evident as he bit his nails in contemplation.

It had been three days since this relentless pursuit began. The lion seemed fixated on him from the moment it ambushed him during a meal, clawing at his scalp. Even in sleep, it had pressed down on him with terrifying force, jolting him awake. And the incident in the bathroom—Cyd shuddered at the memory—as if the lion, unsatisfied with not catching his scent, had clawed the ground before slinking back into the jungle.

"This is getting out of hand," Cyd sighed, knowing the creature's invulnerability rendered his traps useless. He recalled tales from Greek mythology of an invincible lion, much like this one—perhaps the same that Hercules had faced and famously skinned alive.

"This spells trouble," Cyd muttered, realizing the gravity of his situation. He was no Hercules, capable of confronting such deadly adversaries and emerging victorious. The lion's persistence hinted at something more sinister.

Fearing another encounter, Cyd considered fleeing, but the lion never gave him the chance.

"Hey, you up there with the white hair!" A booming voice startled Cyd from his thoughts. He glanced down to see a robust youth waving enthusiastically from below.

Ignoring the interruption at first, Cyd finally acknowledged him with a slow turn of his head.

"You up there! Look at me!" The imposing figure gestured wildly.

Cyd remained unmoved, unimpressed by the theatrics.

"I see you're worried I'll steal your prey," the youth continued, undeterred. "Fear not, I am Hercules, and I'm not here for your game. I'm here solely for that wicked lion!" With a casual flex, Hercules effortlessly shook the tree trunk back and forth, uprooting it with a snap.

"...," Cyd watched as Hercules plucked a branch from the fallen tree as effortlessly as if picking a flower. "Fine, fine, I get it," Cyd rolled his eyes, hopping down from his perch. "I'll brief you on the lion."

"Much obliged," Hercules replied eagerly. "Where is it?"

"Just wait," Cyd raised three fingers. "I'll count to three, and it'll show itself."

"Huh?" Hercules looked puzzled, still clutching the tree trunk.

"One, two..." Cyd began, bending suddenly.

"Three!"

"Roar!"

The lion, sensing Cyd's movement, lunged towards him from the jungle. But Cyd's quick dodge sent it careening towards Hercules instead.

Hercules, eyes narrowing in determination, swung the tree trunk with all his might, striking the lion square in the face.

"Home run, perfect," Cyd exclaimed, giving Hercules a thumbs-up. "Congratulations on successfully knocking down the wicked lion!"

"No, it's not dead," Hercules grimaced as the lion was sent flying. He broke the sturdy trunk in frustration. "My strength can knock it down, but this tree is too weak to finish it off. It's resilient against superficial wounds."

"We should go. If that didn't kill it, it's surely enraged," Cyd suggested, gathering his belongings. "Let's move."

"Wait!" Hercules grabbed Cyd's shoulder firmly. "Why are you leaving?"

"That tree trunk was you're doing," Cyd explained, resisting Hercules's iron grip. "But it's useless. Your fame won't prevent others from being affected."

"But I came to kill this wicked lion too. Why don't we cooperate and hunt it down together? We'll share the spoils and the glory equally," Hercules proposed earnestly.

"I thought you could handle it alone," Cyd instinctively resisted the idea of sharing credit and spoils. But Hercules's strength was overwhelming.

"I thought so too, but an extra pair of hands wouldn't hurt," Hercules admitted, clenching his fist. "I'm confident alone, but..."

"It's fine. You can handle this lion on your own," Cyd almost said, but held back. What if Zeus, watching from the eagle perched above, decided to intervene in favor of his son?

"Alright, let's make it work," Cyd sighed, rubbing his temples. "I'll assist you. For now, let's just rile up the lion. But I have conditions."

"Don't worry about rewards," Hercules began.

"I don't need rewards," Cyd interrupted, crossing his arms. "Just publicly claim you killed the lion. I only want its teeth and claws."

"Agreed," Hercules nodded.

"Then listen to my plan."

And so, under the watchful eye of Zeus's eagle, Cyd and Hercules devised a strategy to finally confront and subdue the relentless lion.