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Preface: Heracles and the Dragon Hydra

If the first labor was merely a test of strength within the Academy's walls, the second is a violent escalation: a journey into the kind of darkness that lies beyond the control of gods and mentors alike.

In Heracles and the Nemean Lion, the story was about an unwitting boy forced to accept the mantle of a legend. We saw Heracles learn how to find courage, despite being crippled by doubt.

But Heracles and the Dragon Hydra is no longer his story alone.

As the walls of Hippocoon’s false safety crumble, the weight of the next Labor proves too heavy for one person to bear. Heracles must rely on his two indispensable companions: Gwen, the bold guide who trusts her gut, and Amelinda, the brilliant strategist who protects with her mind. Their quest becomes a desperate race for survival into lands where myth is still feral and dangers multiply with every footstep.

In the cursed swamps of Lernaen, the trio must face the multi-headed Dragon Hydra—a creature that doesn't just kill with venom, but amplifies their deepest fears. Here, Heracles will mysteriously acquire the powerful Nemean suit of armor and be haunted by a deception hidden by those he trusts most.

This silence is born not of malice or betrayal, but of love and fear, for the truth about his lineage and his ultimate foe is too great, too violent, and too far beyond his current scope of understanding to be revealed.

Can Heracles shoulder the responsibility of this new power and the weight of these secrets? Can the bond between the three friends endure a trial designed to break them apart?

The Labor has begun. The hunt has changed. And this time, there is no going back.

— Hung Nguyen 

Heracles and the Nemean Lion book cover

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.

🛒 Buy on Kobo — $12.50 🍎 Buy on Apple Books — $12.99
Heracles and the Dragon Hydra book cover

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.

🛒 Buy on Kobo — $14.00 🍎 Buy on Apple Books — $13.99
Heracles and the Burden of Mercy book cover

Heracles and the Burden of Mercy

The third chapter of the Heracles and the Twelve Labors series. Heracles faces the ultimate test of mercy by choosing to redeem the ethereal Ceryneian Hind instead of slaying it, while Avery atones through grueling labor, Lily sings the hymn that rebirths the Hydra, and the dark ocean Umbrother awakens, heralding a greater shadow to come.

🛒 Buy on Kobo — $14.00 🍎 Buy on Apple Books — $13.99
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