Fic: The Twelfth Labour
Title: The Twelfth Labour
Author: Pinigir
Fandom: Greek Mythology
Characters/Pairing: Cerberus, Heracles
Rating: PG?
Warnings: Mention of violent deeds
Summary: Cerberus becomes the subject of Heracles’s heroic acts.
Notes: No beta, so mistakes are all mine. Please tell me if you see anything.
The Twelfth Labour
There he was: the hero Heracles, the son of mighty Zeus. He was talking to the master. The three-headed dog couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he was fairly certain that it concerned him.
If he had been one to frighten easily, he would be quaking on his legs right now. As it was, he managed to contain himself, but just barely. Heracles might be a mortal, but that didn’t stop him from being one of the most fearsome heroes the world had ever known. He had the strength of a god and wasn’t afraid to use it.
The first deed of heroism the hero had done, was slaying the Nemean Lion. It was easy enough to be reminded of that, because the hero still wore its skin as a trophy. It hurt Cerberus to see this. Not only was it frightening to see how such a mighty beast could have been reduced to this by one man, but the lion had been his brother. That was right: Heracles had killed his brother!
What had Heracles done right after that? He had gone to find the Hydra and had quickly disposed of it. He had found a way to stop the Hydra from growing more new heads every time one head was chopped off. After that, the creature was soon dead. The Hydra had been another one of Cerberus’s siblings.
For his tenth act of so-called heroism Heracles had gone to the far west, to the island of Erytheia. Cerberus’s two-headed brother Orthrus had been the dog that herded the red cattle that grazed there. No matter how powerful Orthrus had been, the hero had been able to strike him dead with one blow of his club.
Not much was left of the brood of Echidna and Typhoon. Three of his siblings had already fallen victim to this brute, and it seemed he was next.
The magnificent hero turned and came towards him. He cast his weapons away, but otherwise seemed to be intent on attacking him. They circled around each other until Heracles finally lunged at him. Cerberus wrestled, bit and did everything to avoid being killed. He fully expected to be killed right now, but suddenly Heracles had him pinned to the ground and the fight stopped. What had happened? Why wasn’t he dead?
While he pondered his situation, a rope was produced out of nowhere and he was being tied up and shackled. When that was done, Heracles picked him up and slung him on his back. Cerberus was dragged along. They crossed the Styx, they passed the gated of the underworld; they were headed for the world above!
Cerberus had never seen the world of the living. He had wondered what it might be like. He had never imagined it to be so light and so bright! It hurt his eyes! And where was the ceiling? Why was there no ceiling to the world? It made him feel so tiny! This world was nothing like he had imagined.
He was brought before a puny little human, who cowered before him and quickly hid himself in a large vase. As if that would help him! But, did he understand it right? Was this the man who had ordered Heracles to do all his works? How could that be? Never mind, it seemed that the cowardly man wanted the hero to return him, Cerberus, to the underworld. Fine by him. He didn’t like the world above anyway.
Now he was being dragged back again. He welcomed the gates of the underworld and he would never have believed that he could be so glad to see the river Styx again. When they reached Hades’s abode, Cerberus was released from his bonds. Heracles left.
He was home again! He was safe and sound; he had been spared! He could not believe his luck! His capture had been the twelfth and last labour of Heracles, and he had survived!
The End. Comments are welcome...
Author: Pinigir
Fandom: Greek Mythology
Characters/Pairing: Cerberus, Heracles
Rating: PG?
Warnings: Mention of violent deeds
Summary: Cerberus becomes the subject of Heracles’s heroic acts.
Notes: No beta, so mistakes are all mine. Please tell me if you see anything.
The Twelfth Labour
There he was: the hero Heracles, the son of mighty Zeus. He was talking to the master. The three-headed dog couldn’t hear what they were saying, but he was fairly certain that it concerned him.
If he had been one to frighten easily, he would be quaking on his legs right now. As it was, he managed to contain himself, but just barely. Heracles might be a mortal, but that didn’t stop him from being one of the most fearsome heroes the world had ever known. He had the strength of a god and wasn’t afraid to use it.
The first deed of heroism the hero had done, was slaying the Nemean Lion. It was easy enough to be reminded of that, because the hero still wore its skin as a trophy. It hurt Cerberus to see this. Not only was it frightening to see how such a mighty beast could have been reduced to this by one man, but the lion had been his brother. That was right: Heracles had killed his brother!
What had Heracles done right after that? He had gone to find the Hydra and had quickly disposed of it. He had found a way to stop the Hydra from growing more new heads every time one head was chopped off. After that, the creature was soon dead. The Hydra had been another one of Cerberus’s siblings.
For his tenth act of so-called heroism Heracles had gone to the far west, to the island of Erytheia. Cerberus’s two-headed brother Orthrus had been the dog that herded the red cattle that grazed there. No matter how powerful Orthrus had been, the hero had been able to strike him dead with one blow of his club.
Not much was left of the brood of Echidna and Typhoon. Three of his siblings had already fallen victim to this brute, and it seemed he was next.
The magnificent hero turned and came towards him. He cast his weapons away, but otherwise seemed to be intent on attacking him. They circled around each other until Heracles finally lunged at him. Cerberus wrestled, bit and did everything to avoid being killed. He fully expected to be killed right now, but suddenly Heracles had him pinned to the ground and the fight stopped. What had happened? Why wasn’t he dead?
While he pondered his situation, a rope was produced out of nowhere and he was being tied up and shackled. When that was done, Heracles picked him up and slung him on his back. Cerberus was dragged along. They crossed the Styx, they passed the gated of the underworld; they were headed for the world above!
Cerberus had never seen the world of the living. He had wondered what it might be like. He had never imagined it to be so light and so bright! It hurt his eyes! And where was the ceiling? Why was there no ceiling to the world? It made him feel so tiny! This world was nothing like he had imagined.
He was brought before a puny little human, who cowered before him and quickly hid himself in a large vase. As if that would help him! But, did he understand it right? Was this the man who had ordered Heracles to do all his works? How could that be? Never mind, it seemed that the cowardly man wanted the hero to return him, Cerberus, to the underworld. Fine by him. He didn’t like the world above anyway.
Now he was being dragged back again. He welcomed the gates of the underworld and he would never have believed that he could be so glad to see the river Styx again. When they reached Hades’s abode, Cerberus was released from his bonds. Heracles left.
He was home again! He was safe and sound; he had been spared! He could not believe his luck! His capture had been the twelfth and last labour of Heracles, and he had survived!
The End. Comments are welcome...