The Legend of Perseus: The Labors

Ch. 18

Ch. 18

The journey back was remarkably fast.

Although that was probably because of the almost complete lack of conversation. It's not hard to make good time when the closest to a conversation you get is a couple questions and one or two word responses.

Needless to say, the awkward tension made both demigods want to make the journey back home as quick as possible.

Heracles knew Perseus was upset but decided it was best to let him be for now. The long journey home would give him time to think about everything and perhaps get a new perspective on the events.

When they finally arrived back in Tiryns, there was no royal entourage to greet them this time. Apparently the High King Eurystheus had no desire to hear about their adventure having already been informed days earlier by one of King Augeas' messengers.

As they approached their hut, a piece of parchment hung by a nail on the doorway. Heracles plucked it from the door.

"Travel to the town of Stymphalos. There, the villagers will inform you of where you can find the flock of monstrous birds destroying their crops, cattle and even killing some villagers. Drive the birds away from the town and ensure they never return to Arcadia to complete your sixth trial."

Heracles read the instructions out loud. He looked to Perseus for his reaction but the younger demigod seemed completely uninterested and just made to walk past him into their hut. Heracles held out a hand to stop him before he could get far.

"Not so fast, Perseus." Heracles decided this had gone on long enough. "You're angry. Let's have this out now; we're not walking all the way to Stymphalos in silence. I can't take the awkwardness of another trek like that again."

Perseus tried to push his way past him but Heracles gave him a gentle, albeit firm shove back.

"Let me through..." Perseus growled in a low voice.

"I would be glad to," Heracles agreed, "as soon as you tell me why you're angry and we figure out how to get past it."

Perseus glared up at his older counterpart. After holding his gaze for a minute, he just shook his head.

"It doesn't matter. It's over now, let's just get ready for the next quest." He tried to walk past Heracles again but the much larger demigod pushed him back again.

"We have been together for nearly four years now. You can't lie to me. You're like a brother to me, I know you better than anyone and I know this needs to be done now before we can even think about starting another quest."

Perseus' glare turned icy before he threw his hands up angrily, "Fine! You wanna know what's wrong? It's you! You were perfectly fine with letting that nymph die so we could complete another one of your stupid trials! She didn't ask us to come there! She didn't do anything! But it's okay for her to die so you can earn redemption. That's not right and the fact you're so okay with it makes me wonder if I'm on the right side of these trials!"

He glowered up at Heracles waiting for a reaction but the son of Zeus just stood stoically in front of the door to their hut. Perseus shook his head angrily and tried to get into the hut again.

This time, he was shoved so hard his feet left the ground and he landed hard on his back a few feet away. He looked up in disbelief at his friend.

Heracles' face soured and he lunged forward and grabbed Perseus by the front of his shirt and lifted him a few feet off the ground so their faces were only inches apart.