“Ahhh.” cried a chubby boy. He was caught by the shadow. His lower half body fell down and stuck at black shadow-like creature’s mouth. His half upper half body was still upon the ground. Tears poured from his eyes wetted all his face. “Please helped me.” he cried handed ahead. However, no one dared to come near and helped him. The creature swelled. It opened mouth more widely. The boy was slowly swallowed then vanished. Everybody turned much nosy. They cried and ran but they only scattered then gathered inside the place. Everything turned chaotic at the time.
“What are we do now?” said Amelinda anxiously.
“I don’t know.” replied Heracles still staring at the black shadow.
“Stay away from it as far as possible.” said Gwen.
“Runnn…” cried Heracles, pulled Gwen and Amelinda with him. The black shadow started to pay attention on them. It chased after them.
“Heracles, help me” cried Amelinda. She was left behind them. Heracles turned back and she her lower half body had been fallen down and the black shadow-like creature was under her. Heracles hurriedly ran back. He held her hand tried to pull her up. Gwen also ran back, held the other hand of Amelinda and pulled. Suddenly, the black shadow-like creature trembled and then enlarged. It mouth turned huge. Heracles could barely see a large gap under his feet then he and Gwen fell down with Amelinda. Heracles was separated from his friends. He seemed to be fallen into a dark spiral pipe and slipped quickly inside it. It made him feel dizzy. Minutes later, he saw light at the end of the pipe. He slipped out and rolled few rounds with his baggage before he could get on ground. Amelinda and Gwen also appeared after that. They slipped out from other pipes appearing on the wall which after that changed into round black shadows, shrank then vanished.
“Are you okay?” Heracles hurriedly went to Amelinda, helped her stand up.
“I’m fine.” she said, “Where are we now?”
“I don’t know. It may be a secret tunnel.” said Heracles.
“Everyone all are brought to here.” said Gwen. He had gotten on his feet, joined with Heracles and Amelinda.
Heracles could realize some people there and one of them was the chubby boy who cried painfully as he was fallen down. He still looked anxious. Heracles took his eyes off the chubby boy to watch around. It’s no-end tunnel from both sides, a large tunnel which was lit by oil lamps. At the middle along the tunnel was something covered by jet black looking-scales very elongated cylindrical and segmented. Something looked like doors on each segment.
“It’s Grogon, a ground dragon.” a humpback man who brought an old lamp on his bony hand from somewhere approached Heracles, “It’s juvenile. If it is mature, it can round the world by its length. However, some rules make creatures like it not to be allowed to appeared front of people. They have to live in Underworld. Some of them accept to be carriers to get out from the Underworld.”
“Whatever, my name is Aiden. I will be the person who brings you to Hippocoon. Guess you all have met the Shadow-shifter. He was a child liking to play with everybody. You must get much fear before you come to here.” added the humpback man.
“Yes, we did.” said Heracles.
Then clanks spread out. Millions of pair feet appeared under Grogon which looked more like a huge millipede than a dragon. Grogon took a long yawn. Its head started moving back.
“Welcome! Welcome first year.” Grogon said loudly, “new faces, very young and having much potential. I am Grogon who will bring you to Hippocoon. Very nice to meet you all.”
“And he is Aiden, the guider.” Grogon’s head stopped at Aiden. It turned, stared at Heracles by giant eyes then moved to Gwen and Amelinda.
“Little friends, do you see doors on my body. Yes, they are doors if you don’t know. Please walk in. There are compartments behind them. Make their way to have seats there in time. You have no other options because we will not come back till the next year.”
“It’s time to go.” roared Grogon.
The doors on Grogon’s body suddenly slid open. Aiden hurriedly clung on the door nearest on Grogon’s head. “See you all at Hippocoon.” said Aiden. He went in, slid close the door. Grogon moved ahead back to the place it had laid before.
“Hurry up!” said Grogon loudly.
It took Heracles and others minutes hesitating. They kept staying there at right their places a while. Later, some of them started moving. They made their way to the doors and then walked in. Heracles, Gwen and Amelinda at last also went. They made the way to the nearest door facing to them. Heracles went first. There was nice compartment with seats were set on either side. A small way was between of them for people to go. Heracles, Gwen and Amelinda made their ways to have seats at the right beside the door.
“So we go.” the voice of Grogon spread out. The clanks spread out one more time, turned noisier than ever. Grogon’s feet started moving ahead, got faster and faster. Heracles could see lamps hanging on the tunnel wall ran backward through the opposite door. Then the clanks vanished. They spread up. It made Heracles couldn’t see clearly anything outside. He turned in.
“It’s also your first time?” he talked to Gwen.
“Honestly, it is.” replied Gwen, “Many things you are not allowed to know or see if you are unqualified.”
“They are really awesome.” said Amelinda, “I nearly lost my soul at the first time I saw them. Honestly, I had read about them a little in history of gods and goddesses. There had something about them at chapter Hade and creatures in Underworld. They all live in Underworld. Grogon honestly is a scary creature. It is considered fastest and longest creature. Its body is extremely tough. Furthermore, it owns deadly venom which even can kill half god blood human.”
“Really, I have never heard about it before.” said Gwen, “Do you know something about Shadow-shifter?”
“Of course, there has few lines describing about it. It’s a strange creature, a funny shadow born from nothing have ability moving everything to places it want. There are no reports yet that it can attack others. It's quite mysterious and harmless.” said Amelinda.
“How about Aiden?” asked Heracles, “Does it have any information about him in the books?”
....
!!! The above post is a draft of my first book on Heracles, Heracles and the Nemean lion in Hippocoon land. Its content can be omitted, modified or replaced. If you want to read the full version, click here buy a ebook: Heracles and the Nemean lion or click here to a paper book: Heracles and the Nemean lion by Hung Nguyen !!!
Heracles and the Nemean Lion
The first epic in the Heracles and the Twelve Labors series — witness Heracles' legendary battle against the invincible lion. A tale of strength, fate, and immortal valor.
Heracles and the Dragon Hydra
The second chapter of the Heracles and the Twelve Labors series. Heracles faces the monstrous Hydra — a dragon-like beast with many heads, each reborn from the last. A mythic journey of courage, strategy, and divine challenge.
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