Realizing the battle would have to be fought to the bitter end, I poured my will into the spear and hurled it at one of the heads. The strike was so powerful it shattered Ladon's face, nearly tearing the jaw clean off.
The beast's body convulsed and began to rise. At first, I thought it was taking flight but no, something was pulling it back.
"AAAAAAAH!" came Heracles' roar from somewhere near the dragon's tail.
The strongman had dug his heels into the ground, bracing himself and with a mighty heave, he hurled the massive creature over his shoulder. The enormous dragon was flung into the air before crashing back to earth with a deafening thud. Several heads slammed into the rocks, leaving deep fractures in the stone.
"Drag him to the water! We'll drown the beast!" I shouted.
"It shall be done," Heracles growled, seizing the tail again. With a strained grunt, he began dragging Ladon's bulk toward the shore.
I wasted no time. Recalling my spear, I climbed atop the dragon's massive body and struck again. Six heads remained of the original nine.
"AAAAAH!" The roar returned this time filled not only with pain, but with unbridled rage. With a violent motion, the dragon flung Heracles through the air, casting him far from the battlefield.
It was clear now: there would be no avoiding devastation. This fight would end only in death.
I channeled the last of my strength into the spear, pouring in every drop of will I had left. The sharpened blade pierced Ladon's back, tearing out a great hunk of flesh. His innards sprayed over me and the surrounding earth.
But before I could strike again, it was as if a hammer struck my skull. The world spun. My legs gave out. I slipped from the beast's body and crashed to the ground. My limbs no longer obeyed me. Darkness crept up my left arm greedily devouring my flesh.
I tried to rise, but failed. The beast saw my weakness. One of the heads turned toward me, growling hungrily, jaws opening wide.
All I could do was raise my shield.
The stream of fire hit with such force it began to melt my skin. Pain engulfed everything. I fought the curse, fought to stay alive in the inferno. All I could do was endure, teeth clenched.
Summoning the last fragments of my will, I straightened, raised the spear, and with the final flicker of strength, hurled it into the flaming head's eye. The weapon pierced through, and the head dropped, lifeless.
I fell to one knee, gasping for breath. My strength was fading fast. The curse was growing stronger. I had long suspected that battling foes like these would force me to draw too deeply and my resistance to the curse would falter.
Meanwhile, Heracles fought on. He had to finish this without me…
I crawled a short distance away from the fight, just to catch my breath. My vision blurred. My hearing faded. More and more, the world slipped away, leaving only a dull, formless hum.
For a moment, I saw Heracles' face above me. He was saying something, but I couldn't hear. Darkness returned. The last thing I felt was him lifting me into his arms.
When I awoke, I was already aboard the ship. Evening had fallen over the sea. The sun's fading light still kissed the horizon.
I rose from the cot, feeling the tight bindings wrapped around my body. The weakness remained, but I forced myself to stand.
"Damocles, you're awake. What happened to you?" asked Androcles, pointing at my arm.
I looked down: from shoulder to fingertips dead, blackened flesh.
"Gyges. It's the curse he laid on me. It's eating me from within," I said.
"I didn't think it was this serious. You asked for ambrosia last time, but the infection seemed small then," Androcles murmured.
"Every battle will only make it worse," I said, not taking my eyes off my ruined arm.
Androcles nodded slowly.
"You're a hero like no other. People will build temples in your name."
What use is their worship if I die? I wanted to say but held my tongue.
No. My time has not yet come. I will live. In defiance of my enemies. In defiance of the gods. Even if the world itself desires my death I will live.
The journey to Athens took two more days. We returned to find the city in worse shape than we had left it. We'd only been gone a week, but in that time, the plague had spread like wildfire. The sickness was claiming more lives each day. And now… the first deaths had begun.
When Heracles tried to take a few of the Hesperides' apples for himself, I stopped him.
"Why do you need them?" I asked.
"The King of Argos gave me this task to deliver the fruit so the deed would be immortalized. I must give him a portion," Heracles replied calmly.
I looked him straight in the eye.
"Tell me, Heracles, which deed is greater: when a king gains immortality for himself, or when you save thousands of ordinary people? What matters more to you?"
He froze, staring at the basket of fruit. He was silent for a moment, then said:
"The medicine is more important."
So all was not lost. He was still human. Still capable of thinking beyond himself.
Plato immediately began using the fruit to make the medicine. During the week we had been away, he had studied how the god of medicine used them in his potions. Soon, he produced the first batch of a weak but effective ambrosia substitute.
The medicine quickly began helping the sick, and it was sent across Greece under armed guard to prevent anyone from stealing it. Heracles personally escorted many of the shipments.
I brought the medicine to Calliste and helped her drink it. Heart pounding, I watched as she began to recover. For me, the extract helped only partially it dulled the effects of the curse a little and made my internal struggle slightly more bearable. I took the rest of the potion with me they helped, but only temporarily.
When the plague subsided, Plato managed to recalibrate the compass. Now it pointed the way through the stars.
"You realize that in your condition, the curse may consume you completely?" Diogenes asked, chewing his dates again.
"Without her, I wouldn't have lasted this long," I replied. "She helped me more than once, and she's already paid the price for it. So why shouldn't I be willing to risk everything for her? Besides, the one who likely cursed me… will be there."
The compass shuddered and pointed in the direction of Demeter and Hecate.
I silently wished for the compass to reveal the path. Its needle began to twitch wildly, and the air split with a crack tearing through space and opening a gateway between worlds.
"Then good luck to you," Diogenes said.
As I stepped onto the path, it felt as if I awoke in oblivion. There was nothing around me no sound, no shape, no light. Only the compass in my hand, pointing the way.
Disjointed, chaotic images flashed before my eyes like fragments from different worlds. The compass trembled again, and with another step, I felt solid ground beneath my feet.
Before me stood a small house. The compass needle pointed directly at it. If I was looking for Hecate she was inside. Demeter, however, was elsewhere.
Without fear, I approached the house. I touched the handle and opened the door. Inside was a small room, dimly lit. A woman in dark robes sat calmly, sipping tea, as if she had known I would come.
"Of all the ways to reach me, you chose the most unusual. Hephaestus outdid himself creating such an artifact," she said without looking up.
I glanced at the compass the needle pointed straight at her.
"Even I cannot hide from it. Or perhaps your own abilities are more powerful than I expected? Fascinating thing. It'll make a fine addition to my collection," Hecate mused.
"You think I brought it to give it to you? No. Today is the day you die," I said.
"Ah… No need for rash decisions," Hecate replied, her voice cold as ice.
A mirror materialized before us, growing out of the air. In its reflection, I saw Demeter chained, with sharp blades hovering dangerously near her neck.
"Her life is in my hands now," Hecate continued, locking eyes with me. "This all could have been so much simpler if you had acted as expected. But you… you're remarkably unpredictable. Because of you, I had to rethink everything and take drastic measures."
She paused, then added with a smug smile:
"Now, be a good boy hand me the compass, kneel, and kiss my feet."