On the fifth day, Hercules’ First Labor—

— The Seven Days Prophecy

Princess Ruana (Roanne) and Captain McKinley (Benjamin)—the sea princess and space ranger, respectively—stood before a waterfall that seemed otherworldly, at night,with its dreamy periwinkle waters shimmering in bright aquamarine.

“In the character profile of the true Princess Ruana, it describes the gentle waters of the Primordial Sea, part of the Sea Kingdom of Atlan. The water appears as glittery indigo, glistening pearl-white when still.” As she spoke, Princess Ruana summoned a sphere of water from the mystical falls to illustrate her point.

She released the floating sphere above her hand, letting it drop back into the base of the falls. “But when in motion, it transforms into this dreamy periwinkle, shimmering with bright aquamarine,” she explained.

“These mystical waters have both stationary and dynamic states,” Ruana continued. “But there’s more to them than meets the eye. They’re called ‘gentle waters’ for a reason. Unlike ordinary water, which is colorless but collectively blue in the sea, the gentle waters are unique.”

Captain McKinley glanced at Ruana, who was to his left. “The gentle waters of the Primordial Sea of Atlan are alive—a body of water elementals that swim together like a school of fish. They are also sentient. In Princess Ruana’s universe, the Primordial Sea is the source of all life. As such, these waters seek to nurture and protect living beings.”

Ruana elaborated further. “The gentle waters can heal, shield, extinguish fires, repel foes, and even seal deadly forces. Their reflections can provide concealment. The seaweeds that grow within them can bind enemies. However, these waters can never be used to attack or cause harm. They cherish the lives of both allies and enemies alike. These are the waters I command. Unlike the rest of you, I have no weapons or offensive powers.”

She turned to Captain McKinley, her gaze meaningful. “But I don’t mind. Thanks to the gentle waters, I can support the team in ways that go beyond mere self-preservation. I admit, it’s difficult to face battles without direct means of combat. But I’ve learned to adapt, finding ways to handle the Greek monsters. I suppose it makes things more challenging—a test of my wit and resourcefulness.”

Aboard the Peregrine spaceship, in the command center. On the large screen, various coordinates and locations flickered across the map. Captain McKinley (Benjamin), seated in the command chair, gazed at the screen, lost in thought.

“Captain, it seems you’ve drowned yourself in introspection,” ROBO3000, the tall humanoid robot, observed as he approached from behind.

“It’s been days, and I can’t figure out why our radar hasn’t detected any electromagnetic disturbances lately,” Captain McKinley admitted, turning to face the robot.

“Perhaps the Greek monsters have stopped appearing on Earth. Or it could be that the disturbances are too weak to be detected,” ROBO3000 suggested.

“Is that second explanation really plausible?” Captain McKinley asked, his tone intent.

“Yes, theoretically speaking. If that’s the case, those weak signals would only be detectable in close proximity to the monster’s location,” ROBO3000 reasoned.

“You’re saying that the Fourth Wave could have happened right under our noses?” Captain McKinley exclaimed, shocked.

“That’s a possibility,” ROBO3000 confirmed. “And if that’s true, the Fifth Wave might be the same. The spaceship can only pick up strong signals across the country and globally, but weaker signals are trickier. Hypothetically, the only way to trace them would be to investigate previous monster sightings in the vicinity.”

Venice, Italy—a city of a hundred small islands nestled within the Adriatic Sea’s lagoon. The Grand Canal cuts through the heart of the city, flanked by old buildings, Renaissance and Gothic palaces, and canals that replace traditional roads, navigated by iconic gondolas. The city teems with tourists and visitors alike. In a quiet alley, James, a young lad, stood alone. From his pocket, he retrieved a strange, futuristic-looking triangular device, glowing cyan along its three sides. With a quick toss, the small contraption flashed brightly and transformed into a pentagonal portal.

James glanced around to ensure the alley was empty, then discreetly stepped into the portal, which vanished behind him.

Unfortunately for James, his personal tablet had not detected any electromagnetic disturbances back in Venice—unlike in the woodworking village of Santa Jovita, where he had previously tracked Medusa. It was there he had pinpointed the Sphinx’s location in the nearby town of Victorino, specifically at a construction site.

Now, determined to find his next target, James tried his luck roaming through the capitals of Mediterranean countries—across the Italian and Iberian Peninsulas, Anatolia in Southern Europe, the Middle East, and even Northern Africa and the Balkans. For three days and nights, his journey continued, leaving behind a trail that stretched across the Mediterranean and into the Near East.

Oppa Rockstar (James), clutching his tablet, stepped into a classical building. The small screen displayed coordinates alongside rippling electromagnetic disturbances—his destination: Athens, Greece. As he moved forward, he noticed a clover leaf on the marble floor and picked it up. When he glanced back at the tablet, a message flashed: “FIFTH WAVE.” James scanned the chamber, which housed the Pantheon of the Twelve Olympians.

His eyes settled on Zeus, the King of the Gods, seated regally on his divine throne. The surroundings began to warp, yet Zeus remained firmly in place. As James examined his environment, he realized he was inside a crumbling twelve-story tower beneath a clear, sunlit sky. The western terrain was rocky and rugged, while dense forest lay to the east. Back inside the tower, his tablet revealed the precise location: NEMEA.

On the third floor, a massive lion with golden fur— the Nemean Lion—emerged from the shadows. Oppa Rockstar (James) remained with Zeus’s statue, seated on the throne at the seventh level. Bathed in a glowing silhouette of cyan, yellow, and magenta (CYM), Rockstar ascended swiftly to the twelfth floor, the highest point just below the broken ceiling, revealing the blazing sun above. The technicolor aura then materialized into a floating stage in mid-air.

As the lights dimmed, the words “Rock n’ Roll Encore” appeared in fancy script at the back of the stage, flanked by six shooting stars—three cyan, three magenta, and three yellow. Spotlights in CMY (cyan, magenta, yellow) hung above on a black grille, illuminating the scene. At the center of the stage stood Rockstar, gripping a microphone.

He swung his polished butterscotch electric guitar to the front, its surface gleaming under the lights. With a confident strum, the K-pop idol began to play, the electric guitar sounding like an acoustic as he started singing Go the Distance by Michael Bolton from All That Matters.

I have often dreamed of a far-off place…

Meanwhile, the Nemean Lion prowled on the left side of the stage. On the right, a familiar figure emerged: Hercules, the legendary Greek hero, ready for battle.

Where a hero’s welcome would be waiting for me…

The Nemean Lion let out a ferocious roar, while Hercules braced himself, determined.

Where the crowds will cheer when they see my face…

With a thunderous charge, the Nemean Lion and Hercules lunged at each other.

And a voice keeps saying, “This is where I’m meant to be…”

The lion unleashed a series of vicious claw attacks, but Hercules skillfully dodged each swipe with agility and precision.

I’ll be there someday, I can go the distance…

As Rockstar’s voice soared, so did the intensity of the battle. Hercules stood firm, evading the powerful onslaught of the Nemean Lion.

I will find my way, if I can be strong…

The epic clash continued, with each step and strum filling the arena.

I know every mile will be worth my while…

Hercules and the Nemean Lion pushed each other to their limits, as Rockstar’s music seemed to propel them both forward in the battle.

When I go the distance, I’ll be right where I belong…

Rockstar continued to provide background vocals from the floating stage on the twelfth floor as the battle between the Nemean Lion and Hercules entered its next phase. Hercules, now armed with a bow and a quiver of arrows slung across his back, fired several shots at the beast. The Nemean Lion skillfully dodged, darting back and forth. A few arrows struck the lion but failed to pierce its impenetrable golden pelt.

It soon became clear that the Nemean Lion was actually fighting against life-sized musical notes projected by Rockstar in cyan, magenta, and yellow. These notes bounced and popped with upbeat tunes, bursting in colorful explosions upon contact. Surrounding the lion was a neon-orange musical staff, completing the CMYK color scheme, with orange replacing black. The Nemean Lion, unaware of Rockstar’s illusion, continued to attack, believing it was still facing the legendary Hercules.

As the fight reached the third act, ‘Hercules’ realized that the lion’s golden hide was impenetrable. He abandoned his bow, resorting to hand-to-hand combat. With a powerful leap, he latched onto the Nemean Lion, attempting to strangle it from behind. On the verge of defeat, the lion’s eyes blazed blue-white, and with a surge of willpower, it shattered the illusion of Hercules.

Realizing he could not defeat the Nemean Lion from above, Rockstar ended his song and dove from the floating stage. In mid-air, he summoned his trusty surfboard and rode a musical wave down to the third floor. The Nemean Lion, its claws now glowing blue-white, charged toward him. Rockstar drew two thick glowsticks, one cyan and the other magenta, which extended into short sword-like weapons.

The battle escalated as the Nemean Lion and Rockstar exchanged glowing strikes—blue-white energy clashing with cyan and magenta. The beast unleashed triple energy blades from its burning claws, but Rockstar, displaying impressive agility, dodged them mid-air like a gymnast. In a split-second opening, he combined his glowsticks into a technicolor staff of cyan, magenta, and yellow, then drove it into the lion’s belly. Initially failing to penetrate, the CMY energy surged through the staff, creating an explosion that blasted through the beast and pierced the ceiling, sending debris flying.

The Nemean Lion collapsed as Rockstar released his grip on the energy staff. He pulled out the golden laurel belt of his brother, Spartan, gazing at it as tears welled up in his eyes. Kneeling beside the fallen beast, Rockstar recalled Spartan’s last words:

“Brother, you know me. I’m an action hero at heart. If I were to fall, I’d want to go down in a blaze of glory. Before I face the Nemean Lion—the beast depicted on the medallion of my golden laurel belt—I want you to slay it for me. Your victory will be mine, and my victory, yours. We’re brothers-in-arms, and brothers by blood.”

Rockstar, victorious in Spartan’s name, descended from atop the defeated lion and began to walk away. A crack appeared on his magenta visor glasses, which then shattered, causing the headset to fall to the ground. As he continued walking, it became evident that he had sustained severe injuries from the lion’s energy-infused claws. With weakened steps, Rockstar collapsed into a corner and lost consciousness.