FURIOSA; Scion of Hercules (extended blurb)

I was a soldier once,the champion of Zeus. Until he feared that I would betray him. So in order to keep me in check,he tried to kill me. That was his second mistake. His first mistake was taking something so very precious from me.

The strength of Hercules was a power that was gifted at random,no one knew who would be granted it next,only that one was chosen every fifty years,when the previous bearer was too old and quite possibly dead.

So every fifty years warriors and fighters from all over the land would gather and fight to death to attempt the scion trial. Which consisted of two challenges; killing a full grown lion and lifting a boulder that was wedged into the base of a nearby hill.

Somehow killing the lion was the easier task. The rumours say,that was a boulder Hercules himself cast off the gardens of Olympus to prove his strength before the gods and his father. And that the hill was once a mountain.

After killing their opponents and the lion,the victors skill covered in blood, would rush to the hill and lift,and lift. And lift.

That was usually how it went.

I never knew my parents. The only family I had was Hestia,she found me in the garbage when I was three years old. I was sitting next to a dog. A dead dog,a dog that had died due to having it's skull broken in.

Immediately she knew what I was and tried to protect me from the people,but unfortunately she didn't believe in the gods,she didn't think they were watching. But they were.

I was 12 when it happened. The gods played a dirty trick,to gaude me into fighting. Zeus had sent Hermes to whisper rumours into the people's ears and they took to them. I woke to screaming and then I was being dragged out of my bed. First they made me fight the reigning champion,Gridor.

He taunted me, didn't take me seriously until he raised a fist to my face. And his hand shattered. In all the screaming and blood I was still confused.

I finally saw Hestia when I was dropped into the lion's pit.

I hardly remember anything after the animal lunged for her. Just flashes of screams. And tears. And blood. I should have taken her and ran.

They tried to make me lift the boulder,but in my rage I crushed it and dared anyone to step forward and challenge. Zeus heard and came down.

He asked me what I wanted and I said,all I want is go home with my mother. And he promised,oh he promised. And I believed him.

He told me if I fought for him that no one would ever dare touch her again. I wanted to protect her so I believed him. I should have taken her and ran.

For decades I fought and fought. All in hopes to go back home one day. And in that time I grew stronger, strong enough to challenge Zeus. Or so he thought. And in his paranoia he made several attempts on my life. None worked, and so he made another attempt that stuck. On my Hestia.

I was rightfully mad when I found out and I swore to avenge her.

You see, while on my travels I encountered rumours of my own, rumours about a weapon even mightier than Zeus. Rumours that were true.

If you are reading this, that means the parcel boy I charged with delivering my letter survived his journey to my home town. It also means I did not.

To wield this weapon is no ordinary feat,it takes from you your strength. But I have strength to spare.

I will avenge my mother and the little girl they twisted so savagely into their image then so quickly cast aside. I will reign down all my fury upon them,the gods will know fear.

I do not know the name I was born with, only the names I was given by my mother and then by the gods.

Hestia named me Adira,and for a long time I struggled to remember it so much that when my mind threatened to burst from my skull I would sit in the darkness and whisper it to myself over and over.

Adira is dead.

As I come for them,I only answer to the name they gave me. A name that rung far and struck fear into the hearts of the enemies they had me kill.

I come for them as the storm they ignored,I come for them as the weapon i

nto which they made me,I come for them,as Furiosa.