Anika Fajardo - Hercules and His 12 Labors: An Interactive Mythological Adventure

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YOU are the demi-god, Hercules. You must complete 12 tasks in 12 years to earn forgiveness for crimes you committed against your family. These tasks will put you face-to-face with dangerous monsters, deadly warriors, and godly enemies. Will you complete your tasks, or die trying?

Chapter One sets the scene. Then you choose which path to read. Follow the links at the bottom of each page as you read the stories. The decisions you make will change your outcome. After you finish one path, go back and read the others for new perspectives and more adventures. Use your device's back buttons or page navigation to jump back to your last choice.

YOU CHOOSE the path you take through this mythical adventure.

Life in 400 B.C. is difficult for people in Greece. There are many deadly battles between people in different lands. Wars are common, and dangerous beasts roam the lands. Floods and droughts kill crops. Kings and rulers change as frequently as the seasons. To help make sense of the world around them, the people turn to gods and goddesses for guidance, protection, and comfort.

Your father, Zeus, is one of the gods the Greeks worship. Zeus is king of all the Greek gods and goddesses that reign over Mount Olympus. You are the mighty hero Hercules.

But you are only half-god. Your mother is a woman named Alcmene. Your very existence has made you a deadly enemy. Zeus wife, the goddess Hera, is jealous of her husbands love for your mother. And this jealousy has made her angry with you too.

Hera has tried to kill you before. When you were a baby, Hera put two poisonous serpents into your crib. But you were not afraid of the serpents red eyes and sharp fangs. Instead you easily strangled the snakes to death with your bare hands.

As you grew, you learned how to use a sword and drive a . The god Apollo taught you how to use a bow and arrow. Now that you are a man, you are taller, stronger, and braver than any other. You are clearly the son of a god.

When Hera sees how strong and skilled you have become, she devises a plan to destroy you once and for all. One night Hera causes you to fall into a confused, violent rage. In the chaos, you fail to recognize those around you. Your beloved wife, Megara, and your children are killed as a result.

Once you come to your senses, you realize what you have done. In your agony, you pray to Apollo for guidance. The god tells you to serve King Eurystheus of Mycenae for 12 years as punishment for killing your family. The king has a reputation of being cruel. It will not be an easy time. But by serving the king, your crime will be forgiven.

But Hera is not finished with you yet. She convinces King Eurystheus to challenge you to 12 impossible tasks that no mortal man could survive. But there is some good news.

If you complete these 12 labors, King Eurystheus promises you, you will gain both forgiveness from the gods and your . Instead of dying, you will live among the gods at Mount Olympus forever.

You may be the strongest man in the world, and the prize is right. But you are still half-human. How can you possibly complete these impossible labors?

But in the end, you have no choice. You must accept King Eurystheus challenge. You will earn both forgiveness and immortality. Where do you begin?

You arrive at the palace in Mycenae and await instructions from King Eurystheus.

Your first task, King Eurystheus says in a bold voice, is to fetch me the of the Nemean Lion.

After a short journey, you arrive in Nemea with your sharp dagger, sword, and heavy club. You find that the lion has ravaged the countryside. The people are terrified out of their wits. They tell you of a horrible creature with a hide that no spear can pierce.

One of the townspeople, an old man in ragged clothes, shakes his head. You will certainly die trying.

You feel anger rise in your chest. You know you are the strongest man in the world, and you are not afraid. Youll show him! You set out to track the lion. It doesnt take long before you find it roaming the dry hills, searching for any living creature to have for lunch. As an expert hunter, you slowly approach the lion. Its golden mane glistens in the sunlight. You creep closer, gripping your weapons. Just then the lion raises its head. It has caught your scent. The beast leaps toward you, its claws outstretched. How will you protect yourself from this creature?

You grab your sword with your right hand. You clutch your dagger in your left. Armed with these two blades, you are certain you will be able to defeat the Nemean Lion. But the lion is too quick for you. Even before you have a chance to strike, it sinks its sharp teeth into your forearm.

You back up and attack from the side. Your dagger meets the hide of the beast, but it cannot pierce it. The beast roars as if it has been tickled. It spins around and snaps the blade in half.

Your blood boils with anger and frustration. You shout at the deadly beast and rush toward it with your sword flashing in the sunlight. But the sword bounces off the lions sleek coat.

The lion leaps at you, knocking you to the ground. You feel a heavy weight on your chest. The last thing you hear before you die is the growl of the terrible Nemean Lion.

THE END

No spear can pierce the lion. So you are thankful you have brought your club. You grasp the heavy wood in your right hand. With your left, you make a strong fist. As the lion leaps toward you, you strike. You hit the lion with all your might. The lion backs away before charging you again. You swing each time it charges. Finally the deadly beast falls lifeless to the dirt. Using the beasts own razor-sharp claws, you skin the lion. You drape the hide over you like a cape.

With the hide on your back, you return to Mycenae. King Eurystheus greets you as you enter the palace. His mouth drops open in shock when he sees you wearing the lions hide.

As commanded, you say, I have the hide of the Nemean Lion.

V v very well, King Eurystheus stammers. His eyes are wide in disbelief. Your next task is to kill the Hydra in Lerna.

The Hydra is a giant, deadly snake creature with nine heads. It will be hard to kill. But you agree. You shoulder your club and sword.

And when you return, Hercules, you are forbidden from entering my palace, King Eurystheus says, looking around anxiously at his servants. From now on, you will get your instructions from my servant at the gate.

Still wearing the lions hide, you travel to Lerna. Your nephew Iolaus joins you, eager to watch his uncle battle dangerous creatures. In the marshy lowland near the city, you find the Hydra. The Hydras heads swarm and squirm like a pile of worms, each mouth lined with dagger-shaped teeth.