Chapter 5: The Ginseng king (part 4)

“Heracles, Gwen, wake up!” cried Amelinda, “It’s nearly mid-afternoon now.” She shook Heracles’s arm.

“Oh Amelinda, you has come.” said Heracles sleepily.

“Hi Amelinda.” said Gwen, took a long yawn, bent down from bunk bed.

“Do you both know what time it is?” screamed Amelinda.

“What’s it?” said Heracles.

“It’s nearly mid-afternoon.” squealed Amelinda.

Heracles immediately leapt out from his bed. “Wake! Wake up Gwen!” he hurried Gwen who was still on his bed. “I have to go to Roger’s house remember?” he added.

“Oh god,” cried Gwen, “How long do we sleep?” He hurriedly climbed down. Heracles, Gwen put on their shoes then hurriedly left the room with Amelinda. They got passed the lobby, went in stairs which led them to the third floor after that. They quickly walked in to the bridge between their dorm and the central castle, stepped along its length. When they were middle of the bridge, they met Professor Linus and some red-armband member they were on patrol. 

“Where are you going?” said Professor Linus, prevented them on the way.

“We are just wandering professor.” said Amelinda quickly.

“Keep yourselves not to go to pace you are not allowed.” said Professor Linus, still glaring at them. 

“Of course, we will not.” said Amelinda.

Then, Professor Linus strode leading the red-armband members to go heading toward their dorm. Heracles, Gwen and Amelinda kept going and arrived to the castle. They followed long lobbies, marble staircases there, found the way to the castle hall. They got out from it then headed toward the edge of forest. From the distance, they could see Roger’s nice wooden house standing alone by the forest but they didn’t see Roger. The door was closed as they came. They kept staying front of it few seconds then Heracles walked ahead approaching the door and knocked on it. It’s about a minute they waited there. Roger appeared after that, opened the door ajar. 

“Hi Heracles,” said Roger in sleepy voice.

“Hi Roger.” said Heracles.

Then Roger opened his door widely to let them come in, “Amelindaa, Gwen.” he added.

“You still sleep.” asked Amelinda, looking at thin blanket which was covering on Roger’s body. Roger took a long yawn, closed his door again. “Yeah, I am still on bed.” he said, managed to pull the window curtain aside, let lights to go in the living room which were very dark at the moment. “I’m really tired after few sleepless days.” he added, kept going to his bed room. He left his blanket at there then turned back. 

“Why don’t you sleep?” said Heracles.

“On my duty.” said Roger.

“What? Your duty.” snapped Gwen.

“Yeah, I didn’t tell you yet.” said Roger, “My duty is to keep watching on this forest.”

“Oh, I don’t know it.” squealed Amelinda, “but why do you need to keep watching it. Doesn’t it have something to happen there?” 

“Yes, it does.” said Roger, “As you know Hippocoon were protected by magic that prevent normal not seeing it. Of course, they can’t but it had another reason there to protect you from the anti-gods, those who are abandoned and lost after the battle of gods. Of course, they all are chained and detained at the deepest place of the Underworld, Tartarus which is ruled by the powerful god Hades. However, there are those who worship them and get strength from them through rituals. Those guys will try to destroy the places that belong to the gods as like Hippocoon”

“I don't see any connection here.” said Gwen.

“Let he finish.” said Heracles.

“Where do you think first as you want to break in Hippocoon?” said Roger, stared at them. “It must be place you can hide yourself from of all people here especially professors here. This forest is called the Hideout forest because of it there is the place the anti-god worshipers and sometime even anti-gods hiding. It is so vast that even the magic barrier that covered Hippocoon could not fully cover it. Therefore, when any of them break in, it will hide right there.”; “Recently, I feel something strange inside Hideout forest. Therefore, I made the way to it and take a look.” added Roger, “I did meet some friends living in the forest to ask them but they didn’t talk much. I also couldn’t have much help from their saying.”

“There have people living in the forest.” squealed Amelinda.

“Honestly, they are not human. They are other species and some of them are smarter and more knowledgeable than us but they are different and don’t want to live with people especially normal people who don’t know where they are on the world. Therefore, they chose to live in enchanted places hiding themselves in forests and one of the places they chose is Hippocoon.”

“You mean there still have places like Hippocoon.” said Gwen.

“Yes, it is.” said Roger, “a few.”

“Where are the places?” 

“Some places are far away and I'm not allowed to reveal that.” said Roger, “Back to you problem.” looked at them, “What do you find me for?” he added.

“Nothing,” said Heracles, “We just want to see you and converse. It’s a little bored to stay in dorm. I mean there had something unhappy to me.”

“What’re those?” asked Roger, giving Heracles warm looking.

“Some troubles with our lyre professor, Linus. He seems not to like me. He always catches the chances to bother me in class and even outside the class.”

“I know him.” said Roger, “He is stern person.” 

“It’s not only.” said Heracles thoughtfully, “He seems not to like me.”

“Don’t think too much about it.” said Roger, “You can not live without any of hater. In some cases, haters help us better.”

“Yeah, I know it. But,” Heracles stopped. He wanted to say something but at last, he didn’t.

“Honestly, I and Gwen just made a trouble with Professor Drusilla recently. I made me think much.” he added.

“What happened to her?” asked Roger immediately.

“We just caught and shook which,” Gwen hesitated a little, “Have you ever seen anything which looked a white radish but to have human shape, run very fast, scream loudly and can speak.” 

“Yes, I have.” said Roger shortly, “You are talking about Dai.”

“You know it?” squealed Gwen.

“Of course, I know him.” said Roger slowly, “I am the person who brought Dai to her. So what happen to Dai?”

“I and Gwen, we thought he was the creature breaking to destroy something there. Therefore, we chased after him, caught and shook him a little.” said Heracles 

!!! 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 !!!