Page 54 of Meduso
It was troubling to see this effect I had on the ruler of the sea. The fact that I had the power to cause grievance to a god was mind-boggling.
“I see there is no use of persuading you otherwise.” I must have been feeling rather valiant compared to before, because I felt the need to speak up for myself to Poseidon, despite knowing my place beneath him as a mortal. “You should not feel the need to protect me out of possession and jealousy. You should want to protect me because it was you who took part in what led me to being here and sought out as a target. If I die, it will be because of you. I hope you are able to live with that guilt.”
“You are truly stupid and foolish, Meduso! You will be sorry for your actions. I will release this curse and allow any and all of my niece’s warriors to come to this island. They will be the ones to kill your new lover and I will stand by and watch until that day comes!”
And just like that, Poseidon was out of sight, gone into the depths of the sea with a flash. For some reason, I had an inkling that Poseidon would still be watching over me, spying to check in on me every now and then. He was a god, after all, with such capabilities.
After my unplanned meeting with Poseidon, I felt that I had no choice but to immediately find Perseus and my sisters to tell them all that happened. They had every right to know. Plus, it was imperative for them to learn that Poseidon’s curse was lifted, and this meant that there was potential for more danger on the horizon.
I could make out Perseus and Stheno swinging their blades at one another from a distance away. It was Perseus and his hawk-like vision that withdrew his sword once he saw me approaching them.
“Ah, Meduso. What brings you over here?” Perseus asked me.
“Yes. I’m surprised to see you so soon. Is everything alright?” Stheno added.
“Well, about that…” I began. “When I was collecting shelled fish along the cliff side, Poseidon snuck up behind me.” I caught a glimpse of Perseus’s hand now clenched into a fist at his side.
“What did he have to say?” Stheno inquired. She made a passing glance from Perseus to me, wondering how Perseus would react to learning about my former lover greeting me again.
I crossed my arms over my chest and lowered my head. It was difficult to break this news to them. “He was rather upset at seeing Perseus and me together. Because of this, he is no longer going to protect me. All of the tidal waves and vicious storms are no more. Warriors will be able to easily come and go as they please.”
“What a coward!” Stheno yelled.
“Yes. I tried to reason with him. I begged him to reconsider his decision, but he was not willing to budge. So, we must all be prepared for hunters to start making their way back to the island,” I explained.
Perseus unsheathed his sword and held it high in the air. “Let the fiercest of warriors come. They will wish they had perished so easily from a storm at sea when I am through with them.” I appreciated his optimism and his commitment to defend me given this unfortunate scenario.
His brief speech riled Stheno up as well. “Yes. We will destroy any man who dares to step foot on the Island of the Gorgons. I hope the Athenians bring forth their strongest warriors. I want to send them a clear message that even their best will not be good enough to overcome us.”
“Come, Stheno. We must amp up our battle skills more if we want to be ready,” Perseus added.
Stheno nodded and they both returned to practicing fighting each other.
“Meduso, why don’t you find Euryale and inform her of what has happened? She will need to be prepared, as well,” Perseus suggested. He may not have meant to, but he sounded more of a leader whenever danger was eminent. Usually, it was Stheno who took charge in perilous situations, but now that Perseus was present, she stepped to the side to allow him to take the lead.
“I will run ahead and let her know now,” I informed them, before turning away to head back to the opposite end of the island.
As I travelled through the forest, I began to wonder what this meant for all of us, moving forward. Things would once again return to the way they were. I would have to fend for myself and we would need to petrify these men and toss their bodies into the wide, vast lake. However, I came to the realization that the near future would pose a few new challenges for me.
I was no longer the only person that could be killed. Although Perseus was a demi-god, he still had the life span of a normal mortal and could also be killed at any given moment. It was only Euryale and Stheno who were the immortals. Now, I would need to not only guard my life, but Perseus’s as well.
I was able to spot Euryale on the ground digging in the soil, when I entered her garden. She seemed so at peace. I hated to be the bearer of terrible news and disturb her jubilance. She glanced over her shoulder to see that I was approaching. “What brings you over here today, brother?” She rose on her serpent body so that she was at eye-level with me.
“Well, there has been a recent development that affects all of us.”
“Really? What kind of development?” Euryale curiously asked.
“Poseidon’s curse on the warriors at sea… is no more.” I did nothing to beat around the bush with this news. Best to just come forthright with this information to her.
“What? How do you know this?”
“He approached me this morning when I was scavenging for food by the cliffside. It was not the most pleasant of conversations. The gist of it is that he is jealous of my relationship with Perseus and no longer feels the need to protect me. He believes that he has been made a fool of,” I revealed.
“Men can be such babies!” Euryale exclaimed. “So, does this mean…”
My sister did not even have to finish that sentence for me to know where she was going with it. I nodded in affirmation.
“Yes. It is very likely that we will see warriors make their way to this island in the near future. Make sure you are prepared at any given moment,” I warned.
