Alexo

Chapter 25: Quite The Boar

Alexo was wandering off through the vast lands once again.

His head was low, his back no longer straight, and his hands open by his sides.

His body was seemingly immortal and immune to physical pain, but the emotional and mental toll was beginning to set in.

Alexo sighed and continued to march forward until he was suddenly shoved to the ground.
He got his hands down just in time, looking to the side to see a wild boar standing next to him. It was quite larger than normal boars, panting heavily while Alexo looked confused.

He slowly rose to his feet and began to approach it, his hand outstretched to hopefully touch it.

The boar noticed Alexo approaching and took off faster than a blur, making Alexo jump from surprise.

"Quite the boar." He whispered to himself.

He looked around, as if hoping to find an owner or hunter.

Nothing.

He shrugged and started to run after it. The boar became smaller and smaller as it ran, easily outpacing Alexo.

Alexo smirked and began to push himself harder, running faster and faster.

Running so fast that things around him began to blur and stretch.

But as Alexo ran, he could feel something behind him.

Somebody else is running just as quickly.

He turned to look over his shoulder, spotting his Brother Heracles.

Alexo rolled his eyes while the brothers were shoulder to shoulder, both their gazes locked on the boar.

"What are you doing here?" Alexo shouted as they both continued to run quickly.

"I was sent on a quest. I must capture that boar!" Heracles shouted back.

Alexo didn't say anything at first.

"Not if I take it first!" Alexo shouted, trying to push himself to run faster.

Heracles laughed and kept pace with Alexo no matter how fast either of them ran.

The boar was coming closer and closer, all three of the beings sprinting past villages and cities and people. Massive waves of air at the speed of a tornado smashed into everything they passed, nearly leveling buildings or sending people flying into the air.

Alexo and Heracles kept running side by side.

The boar was getting closer and closer.

Alexo reached his arm out towards it, but Heracles slapped his hand away.

Alexo turned and grabbed hold of his Brother.

They both lost their footing, tumbling over and smashing into the ground. Their force was so great that the entire ground became torn out of place and broken apart. Dirt flew high in the air when Heracles crashed through a tree, shattering the thick trunk like it was nothing.

Alexo reached down to try and grab hold of the ground to stop himself, but his entire arm shattered from the force put upon him. He hit the floor and began to rapidly roll sideways, every contact with the ground leaving small craters before he smashed into a massive boulder, causing it to shatter and collapse on top of his body.

Heracles was thrown into the ground head first. His skull shattered through the first few feet of the ground, trapping him upside down with only his legs sticking out. Heracles shouted and tried to break free, but it was difficult to do on his own.

Alexo was grunting and panting, looking down at his shattered arm while pinned down by hundreds of stones.

The boar came to a stop, first going to look at Heracles and sniff his legs. The boar reached out and softly began to lick them, making Heracles shake his legs around. The boar opened its mouth and prepared to bite down onto his calf, but stopped as the pile of rocks and stones began to shift. The entire pile opened and fell apart, making the boar stop and stare.

It did not run like a wild animal.

It seemed to be more intelligent and curious than just some wild boar.

Alexo slowly emerged from the pile, the bones from his arm loudly snapping back into place.

The boar tilted its head as it stared at him. Curiously watching, as if waiting to see what would happen.

Observing him.

Alexo looked at the boar, then looked at Heracles' legs continuing to kick around.

He then looked back at the boar.
It slowly sat down on its rear end, continuing to stare at Alexo with eyes that were deep in thought.

Alexo's face changed to perplexion before he made his way towards Heracles.
The boar did not move anything aside from its head, continuing to watch Alexo.

Alexo grabbed hold of Heracles' legs, suddenly pulling him up out of the ground.

Heracles gasped for air, hanging upside down while quickly looking around. He saw Alexo, sighing and seeming annoyed.

"You shall not tell anyone about this." Heracles said.

"Unless I have a reason to." Alexo replied.

He released his grip, Heracles barely getting his arms up to protect his head before falling to the ground with a thud.

The boar continued to watch as silent and still as a statue.

"It's quite a strange creature. Can be very calm and quiet when it wants." Alexo said.

Heracles turned his attention to the boar, his own face beginning to look confused.

"Very calm when it's not being chased." Heracles said, wiping off his dirt covered torso.

The two continued to stare.

"Why were you chasing it?" Alexo asked.

"I have ten labors that I must complete. ​​King Eurystheus of Mycenae, my master, is someone I must serve for twelve years in order to atone for my sins." Heracles said.

Alexo looked at his half brother, his stance beginning to soften.

"What actions must you atone for?" Alexo asked.

"I was manipulated by a strange force I believe to be the Goddess Hera. I was thrown into a fit of pure madness, no memory of my actions. Until I awoke to see my wife and our children. Their blood covering my body and the floor around me. I have not been able to make up for their deaths yet, but I hope that doing these labors as service will be enough." Heracles said.

"You do the bidding of a king?" Alexo asked.

"I do not wish to. He is a wicked, manipulative, and ignorant king. He cares about his power and rule more than anything else. He would be happy ruling over an empty kingdom if he could." Heracles said.

Alexo chuckled.

"Sounds like quite the man to be indentured to." Alexo joked.

Heracles chuckled, along with his half brother.

"It was something I thought necessary at the time. Now, with hindsight, I am unsure." Heracles replied.

"Alright. Let us get the boar now, so that you may be one step closer to your salvation." Alexo said, clapping his hands together.

The boar's ears twitched before it quickly took off at the speed of sound.

Alexo lowered his head and sighed, Heracles putting his hand on the man's shoulder.

"You ready to run again?" Heracles asked.

"Always am." Alexo replied.

The two men took off running, getting faster and faster until they became blurs to anyone watching from the outside.