CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED TWENTY-EIGHT

The Last Heracleidae, Part 1

The others hurriedly shuffled out of the Argo VII, but Sam spent a few more seconds updating his status. With forty-two points to distribute, he decided that the priority was to gain power enough to achieve two things; strength to keep Apex’s attention fixed solely on him, as well as a defense that would keep the psychotic villain from murdering Sam before the others arrived to help him. Unsurprisingly, he put all his points into [STRENGTH: 62] because Sam figured that along with the power boost he would also get new boons once he hit [104]—and he was right.

A new notification appeared just as Sam got off the school bus to inform him that [Bulwark (ζ)], [Stout Body (ζ)], and [Athleticism (ζ)], had all risen to delta-level. [Stout Body (Δ)] not only lessened Sam’s damage whenever he used Herculean’s power, it now offered a minor defense boost against physical attacks while Herculean remained active. Meanwhile, [Athleticism (Δ)] raised both Strength and Dexterity by [+2] while adding a minor boost to lessening fatigue accumulation over time. As for [Bulwark (Δ)], well, Sam would experience its improved version soon enough as Apex seemed eager to get things started.

“We meet again”—golden cat-slit eyes glared in Sam’s direction —“pretender.”

Apex was quite the sight with his lion’s hood over his head and his lion’s fur cloak draped around his thick shoulders. He had a savage face disfigured by so many scars which made him seem no less menacing in his human form than the great lion that had chased the Argo VII across the woods of Oregon.

Sam tightened his grip on Gram’s hilt. “I didn’t ask for the name…”

He glanced sideways at his companions who were fulfilling their tasks and rescuing the civilians caught in the crossfire of Apex’s intensity. The sight of their heroics filled Sam full of positive vibes.

“But,” Sam shut his eyes for just a moment, as if resolving himself for what he said next, “I think I deserve to follow his legacy better than you.”

It might have been the very first time Sam truly accepted his hero moniker. It felt good to admit it to himself too. Like he was finally ready to take on the mantle of a successor to the legendary hero who had accomplished such storied deeds the gods had plastered his likeness across the starry sky as a constellation that would inspire countless generations of heroes to courageous actions.

“It seems you’ve grown a spine since last we met,” Apex said, grinning. “I will enjoy breaking you… and your allies can watch me do it.”

With a speed that belied his massive bulk, Apex spear-tackled Sam. He’d done it so quickly that Sam couldn’t raise his defenses in time, and they rolled around on the asphalt, both of them vying for dominancy through sheer strength.

“Hercu—”

“None of that”—Apex slammed his fist down Sam’s jaw and kept him from activating his power—“pretender!”

He rolled on top of Sam—"You’ll fight me”—and sent his elbow crashing down the hero’s chest—“with your own strength!”

Sam avoided the critical blow by combining his weight with the momentum of their crash to flip Apex around so that they continued to roll in the asphalt. In that time, they each traded blow after blow with the other, bludgeoning each other’s bodies with their fists.

“Quit hitting me!” Sam snapped.

He caught Apex’s right fist just before it smashed against his nose. Then, remembering what Chiron had taught him about wrestling, Sam twisted his upper body to the right so he could lift his leg up and over Apex’s neck to lock the villain in an armbar.

You won’t have the stability to launch a haymaker at an opponent when you’re both on the ground, Chiron had once instructed. No need to overpower them. Instead, go for a hold aimed to take away that strength they’re so proud of.

While holding onto Apex’s arm, Sam stretched his body taut, which was when he heard the satisfying crunch of snapping bone and tendon. Apex let loose a pain-filled roar while Sam, thinking he’d dealt the villain some serious damage, couldn’t help but grin to himself.

Suddenly, while still clinging to Apex’s broken arm, Sam felt himself getting lifted into the air. Then he was smashed back onto the asphalt with such force that it cracked against his back. Sam let out a pain-filled grunt, but there was no time to recuperate as Apex’s foot came crashing down on his head, and he just barely avoided it by rolling away.

Sam tried to get up, but Apex chased after him—shifting from that first foot stomp to a front kick that caught Sam in his gut. The force of it tore the breath from his lungs and sent Sam crashing into the side of the school bus behind him. The same one whose inhabitants Thunder and Dr. Hearthstone went to rescue.

“Gods,” he gasped. “That—”

His vision got so blurry he didn’t see that Apex had just leaped to his side with another front kick careening toward him. It was instinct that made Sam raise his arm and deflect the blow that might have crushed his head. Finally, a stroke of luck. With his balance disrupted, Apex couldn’t defend as Sam sent an uppercut smashing up the villain’s chin.

Apex wobbled backward. He was rattled by Sam’s punch. Sam wasn’t faring any better either though. He too was backing away on shaky legs and using this reprieve to catch his breath.

“So, you’re not just a pretender after all…” Apex had found his footing once again, but he didn’t charge at Sam as he had earlier. The villain opted instead to give Sam a curious look, one with a hint of recognition apparent in that scarred face. “You carry his blood in your veins too, don’t you?”

Sam didn’t respond to the provocation. He just wiped away the blood dripping from his nose with the back of his hand while his eyes scanned his surroundings. Their earlier scuffle now caused the school bus that was dangling from the railing to teeter off the edge and fall into the San Francisco Bay below. Thankfully, Sam could hear Thunder’s voice from behind him yelling for the students to follow her to safety, which meant she and Dr. Hearthstone had managed to evacuate them in time.

“Your companions cannot help you,” Apex said as he noticed Sam glanced over his shoulder. “Ours is a private affair, cousin.”

Sam raised an eyebrow at the word ‘cousin’ but said nothing to confirm Apex’s suspicions. He didn’t need this monster to be more motivated to kill him than he already was.

“There’s no use denying it, child of the Shepards,” Apex added.

“You…” Sam frowned. “…know who I am?”

“Not at first,” Apex grinned mischievously, “but Medea has her uses. She informed me that more than one of Adele’s brood survived her downfall.”

“Don’t you dare say my mom’s name,” Sam snapped.

Sam’s confirmation only made Apex’s villainous grin widen.

“I cannot touch Pandora… She serves a purpose.” The annoyance was clear on Apex’s scarred face. He glanced briefly to his left like he was listening to someone whispering into his ear, and then his annoyed expression reformed into one of elation. “Yes, yes, you’re right… This one I am free to hunt.”

“You’re insane,” Sam hissed.

Apex licked at his lips with a tongue that was so long it couldn’t have possibly belonged to a human being. “Spoken like one who does not know the truth of our bloodline.”

“What”—Sam raised his eyebrow—“do you mean?”

Apex’s next bout of laughter seemed both mocking and menacing to Sam’s ears. “How foolish Adele was to leave you unprepared for this fated encounter.”

He raised a hand to his eye level, and Sam could see the muscles of his thick arm bulging even more.

“I speak of heritage, cousin… I speak of the legacy of Hercules.”

Apex balled that same hand into a fist.

“A strength dulled by generations of diluted blood spread across an unworthy race of fools who couldn’t comprehend the true power our legendary ancestor left for us to discover.” He smashed his chest with the underside of his fist, letting out a loud thump that reverberated across the expanse of space between them. “The gods have played a cruel trick on our clan. They could not allow another to be born among the ‘Heracleidae’ who could wield Herucles’ power in full. That’s how much they feared his strength. Instead, they spread the gift inherent in our blood to all his descendants, ensuring that as we shared this gift no single one of the Heracleidae could rise to the height of Hercules’ strength.”

“Gods… is that why you killed them?” Sam raised a shaking finger at Apex. “You want the power all to yourself?”

Apex said nothing. Although for a brief moment, Sam thought he saw guilt in the villain’s eyes. Then he cocked his head to the side as if once again listening to voices Sam couldn’t hear, and a venomous look grew on his face which told Sam all he needed to know. The thought of such a selfish reason to murder one’s family was so appalling to him that Sam nearly puked.

“You’re a monster,” Sam spat.

“Yes, I am,” Apex agreed, sounding almost remorseful for it. His brow furrowed. His eyes saddened. He looked almost guilty. This strange expression quickly washed away from the villain’s face, however, the moment after he glanced away from Sam. Once again, it seemed like he was listening to someone only he could hear. Then, in a more Apex-like tone, he added, “I am a monster. Just like our ancestor was a monster strong enough to bring even the Gigantes low.”

Apex stretched his broken right arm forward. With a great exhale of breath, he flexed his muscles—and Sam watched as the awkward angle of his arm righted itself.

He can heal himself too… Styx, we are related…

“There can be only one heir…” His voice sounded like Apex was agreeing with someone else’s proclamation rather than his own. “…and that title belongs to Apex!”

With this final taunt, Apex eagerly pounced. However, in the milliseconds before hero and villain would collide, Sam yelled, “Herculean!” into the sky.

As the power originating from his storied ancestor sprang forth from inside him, everything around Sam began to shake. The ground rumbled while bits of rock and dirt floated up from the asphalt. An effect caused by the aura of power now enveloping Sam and spreading out around him in bright sparks that snapped against the ground.

[Herculean (Δ)] is now active. Based on probability and threat assessment calculations, your current strength is temporarily quadrupled [424]. WARNING! Even with [Stout Body (Δ)], the increased boost in strength is too much for your body’s current state. You will accumulate damage while it is active.

Lightning forked across a teal-tinged sky while the excited whispers of unseen spectators carried in the wind. Proof that even the heavens seemed to shake with anticipation for that electrifying beginning to a battle between the last descendants of Hercules. This battle, which the heavens deemed to be of great significance, would also shake the entirety of man’s world. No one knew it then, but here and now at the Golden Gate Bridge, the legend of the Symbol of Hope was about to be born.