I am a legend, a well forged myth, a hero of unmatched might. Twelve labors, each a terrifying test, marked my gradual passage to immortality.

I am a gaze that kills, a serpent's crown of dread, born from a foul rooster-hatched egg. My breath is death, my glance a fatal blight, and only mirrors may show my true, dark might.

Stone and shadow, cold and deep, I cradle secrets that never sleep. Chains may rattle, and torches die, yet none leave once they wander by.

I bring chaos yet shape history, dividing nations, but also uniting people. I am found in the annals of time and the pages of peace. What am I?

A toxic, leaching, heavy taint, you won’t find me dissolved in paint. To be in front, to claim the fame, just change the way you say my name.