“Present” (actually some years ago).
Wolverine skulks through a darkened room, ‘I’ve fought robots. I’ve fought aliens/ I’ve fought mutants and ninjas…and mutant ninjas. Hell, I’ve fought just about everything that’s walked or crawled, at one time or another’ Logan thinks to himself. ‘But I gotta say…zombie mythological monsters is a first’ he decides as he stands before the mythological minotaur and a rather infamous lion. In the apartment of Matsu’o Tsurayaba. Furniture is broken and scattered around the room, as the two beasts loom over Wolverine, who stands ready, his claws unsheathed, he tells himself that this sort of thing is more his buddy Hercules’ bag. ‘Course it would help if the guy was actually awake’ Logan thinks to himself as he looks over and sees Hercules, motionless, laying in some rubble. The lion knocks Wolverine backwards after Wolverine attempted to slice it with his claws. The minotaur remarks that Wolverine must not be up to date on his mythology, otherwise he would know that the Nemean Lion’s hide is invulnerable. Wolverine is not ashamed to admit to himself that he could actually use Hercules’s help right now, because he is in trouble.
Earlier that night:
Wolverine and Hercules smashes their way into Matsu’o’s high-rise apartment. ‘Empty’ Logan exclaims. ‘Nonetheless, I have a bad feeling about this’ Hercules remarks. ‘It reminds me of the time during the Trojan War when Odysseus and I -’ he begins, before Wolverine asks him ‘You ever not have a friggen’ story for something?’ Hercules looks thoughtful as he replies ‘Well, there was this one time when…’, to which Wolverine slaps his forehead and mutters ‘I deserve that’. Suddenly, a large monitor flicks on, and Matsu’o appears on screen, apologizing to Wolverine and Hercules for not being there to greet them. ‘But please, do make yourselves at home in my absence’ he smiles. Wolverine warns his enemy that he is only making this harder on himself. ‘Why don’t ya stop the games and come take your medicine like a man?’ Logan declares.
Suddenly, another screen, another image appears - ‘Actually, Wolverine…I’d say the games have yet to begin’ exclaims Eurytheus - or rather, just his head, held up by Acehlous the River God, who looks like a minotaur. Hercules is shocked to see his old foe, and exclaims ‘Clearly cutting your head off wasn’t enough to put an end to your existence!’ ‘Clearly’ Eurytheus replies, before remarking that Hercules’s loving step-mother, Hera, made it pretty hard for him to stay dead. ‘And speaking of not staying dead, let me give you a little taste of what you have in store…’. Eurytheus explains that he and Matsu’o have made a little arrangement - that he provides the locations of some of mythology’s greatest figures - like the infamous minotaur, while Matsu’o and his Hand minions bring the mythological beings back to life.
At that moment, the Nemean Lion lunges at Hercules from behind. ‘Beginning with some old friends of yours, Hercules’ Eurytheus exclaims, before the minotaur approaches Hercules and punches him hard in the face, before throwing Hercules head-first into a concrete wall, which cracks, but Hercules hit’s the floor, unconscious. Wolverine steps between his injured friend and the two creatures, though the minotaur warns Wolverine to step aside if he knows what is good for him. ‘Bub…I lived my whole life not knowing what’s good for me. Why start now?’ Logan asks as he unsheathes his claws.
“Present”:
Wolverine realizes that his claws do not seem to affect the lion too much, and decides that it is time to take a different approach. As the lion leaps for Wolverine, Logan manages to flip himself onto the lion’s back, and pushing himself upwards, he kicks the minotaur in the eye. ‘You’re going to pay for that, mortal!’ the minotaur warns Wolverine, who continues to struggle with the lion. ‘Then imagine what manner of payment you’ll wish to deliver…FOR THIS!’ Hercules, now awake, exclaims as he comes up behind the minotaur and smacks him in the mouth, drawing blood, and slamming the minotaur into the wall.
Hercules goes over to Wolverine and grabs the lion around its neck, he begins to choke it, ‘Perhaps I can be of service, old friend’ Hercules remarks. Wolverine replies that he is obliged, as lion taming is not really his thing. ‘I’m more of the bull-fighting type’ Logan jokes as the minotaur moves towards him ‘Better men than you have tried, mortal. And their bones line the labyrinths of Crete for their troubles!’ the minotaur exclaims, ‘Not adamantium ones, I’ll bet!’ Logan points out as they slam their heads against each other. Wolverine then flips himself over the minotaur, and remarks that he has been bucked harder by cows of the milking variety. ‘You dare mock me?’ the minotaur booms. ‘Damn right I dare. Why don’t ya come and make me pay for it, Bessie?’ Logan jibes. The minotaur lunges towards Wolverine once more, ‘That’s it, come get me! Toro! Toro!’ Logan exclaims, before ducking as the minotaur lunges for him - only to crash through the massive window, and plummet below.
‘Well, that’s one way to make hamburger’ Wolverine remarks as he looks out the broken window, before casually turning to Hercules and asking him if he needs some help. ‘I got it’ Herc replies as he continues to choke the Nemean Lion. Wolverine unsheathes his claws and walks towards them, asking him if he is sure. ‘Just hold him still another sec and I’ll have a nice head to hang over the mantel at the X-Mansion’ Logan exclaims. ‘I said…I got it!’ Hercules replies as he snaps the lion’s neck. The lion drops to the floor, and Hercules explains that is the way he defeated the lion the first time around. ‘I don’t care how invulnerable his hide is, but his neck isn’t’.
Logan suggests they don’t go patting themselves on the back too fast, as Eurytheus sounded like these two were just the beginning - indeed, as at that moment, a ninja comes crashing through another window. Clearly female, the ninja flips over the heroes, as Hercules exclaims ‘Big deal - a Hand assassin. Be done with her so we can get after Eurytheus and Matsu’o already’ Hercules declares. ‘Just a Hand assassin, huh?’ Logan remarks, before asking Hercules if he knows any Hand assassins with ancient Greek swords. Wolverine’s claws clangs against the swords, before one of the swords is swung backwards - and slices Herc across the face. ‘I’m…bleeding!?’ Hercules exclaims.
Wolverine dodges another attack and remarks that something is up with this broad. Logan reaches out to attack, and manages to slice the assassin’s arm. ‘Logan - her arm!’ Herc calls out, before the assassin throws Logan into Hercules. Herc then pushes Wolverine down to the ground, ‘What are ya -?’ Logan asks, but Hercules replies that he has no time to explain. ‘Bravo, Hercules. I thought you’d never figure it out’ the assassin remarks. ‘Get down!’ Hercules exclaims urgently, as the assassin removes her mask - ‘Aren’t you happy to see your old friend Medusa?’ the green-skinned, snake-haired, starey-eyed woman.
Elsewhere, inside a Hand base, in a building atop of a cliff that sits over a rugged ocean. ‘Perhaps you all didn’t hear me correctly…’ Matsu’o begins. Several Hand assassins line the room, while Achelous sits next to Matsu’o, the head of Eurytheus in his hands, while several elders sit before them. ‘Oh, we heard you, Lord Matsu’o. You wish us to return you to your place as undisputed ruler of the Hand’ one of them remarks. Matsu’o asks them what they are waiting for, to which one of the elders explains that they are trying to determine the best way to have Matsu’o killed. ‘Perhaps more than one of you will depart without their heads attached to the bodies’ he adds. Matsu’o gets to his feet: ‘We gave you fools a chance to serve in our new order - and this is how you repay us?’ he exclaims.
Eurytheos tells Matsu’o to save his breath, as some people always have to do things the hard way - ‘Now, Polyphemus!’ Eurytheos shouts, and there is a mighty rumble, before a massive hand comes crashing through the ceiling - as Polyphemus the Cyclops stands over the building, and people begin running for their lives as the behemoth brings his weapon crashing down - squashing several of the Hand ninjas, who begin to vanish in glows of green energy. Matsu’o, Achelous and Eurytheus all smile.
Back at Matsu’os apartment, Medusa the Gorgon smashes a mirror, sending shards of glass everywhere, she declares that it cannot be said Medusa is not one to learn from her mistakes. ‘No reflections for you tow. If you boys want to beat me…you’ll have to look at me beautiful face to do so’ she exclaims, her eyes glowing yellow, her snakes writhe about. Logan and Herc have their eyes closed as they get to their feet. Logan tells Herc that he is getting ready to make a move here, and asks his friend to be ready to back his play. ‘Play? What play?’ Hercules asks, before Wolverine spins around, attempting to slice Medusa the Gorgon, but he misses.
Suddenly though, Logan grabs one of Medusa’s wrists and with his other hand shoves his claws through her hand, causing Medusa the Gorgon to drop one of her swords as blood splurts about. ‘Now! Get the sword while I keep her occupied!’ Wolverine shouts as the sword lands in front of Hercules, although Medusa manages to cut Logan’s shoulder with her other sword - suddenly though, Hercules comes up behind Medusa and slices her head off with her sword, blood splats everywhere, and Herc grabs the head and shoves it into some cloth. ‘Well played, my friend. With your enhanced senses, you could better engage the enemy blindly while I - Logan?’ Herc calls out as he turns around. ‘Zounds!’ Hercules gasps as Wolverine stands before him - turned to stone!
