Page 6 of Meduso
Stheno snickered at my innocence and obliviousness. “It’s calledsnow, Meduso. It’s found in the coldest regions of the world and on the highest peaks of mountains, where we are now,” she elaborated.
I fixed my gaze out to the lower distance to make out grass, trees, and fields that were miles away, beneath us. We were on the mountain tops of Arima.
“Come! We have to trek down this slope to reach Echidna’s cave,” Stheno ordered.
I followed behind my sister, not saying much to her. I had a closer relationship with Euryale than Stheno. That was only because Euryale was the younger of my two sisters and I had more in common with her. Plus, it helped that she was outgoing and acted much more youthful than my eldest sister. Stheno was very independent, but also extremely fierce and intimidating. She rarely played games with us and tended to be the voice of reason to keep Euryale and me out of trouble, avoiding harm’s way.
Stheno must have also felt the awkward tension between us that was now full of silence. She attempted to strike up a conversation with me. “Did mother and father inform you about Echidna?”
“Yes. I believe so. That she is married to Typhon, who defied the Olympian gods. He is eternally damned while Echidna remains in hiding, here in the mountains.”
My sister nodded at my description. “Correct. Except there is a little more to the story. You cannot tell a soul as to her whereabouts. The other gods and goddesses assume she is underground, beneath Arima, in isolation. That’s merely a cover up so that other gods or the bravest of warriors and mortals don’t seek to hunt and kill her.”
I was trying to make sense of all of this, but was too naïve to understand the reasoning behind it.
“Why would mortals want to kill her?”
Stheno sneered at my lack of knowledge. “Because, Meduso, a mortal who bears the strength to be able to kill a god or goddess, let alone an enemy of the ruler of all gods, will be blessed beyond imagination. They will receive countless gifts from other gods and mortals. They become kings and queens of the world, gaining great possessions. Not to mention the fame that comes along with the fortune. Their story of being a mortal who killed a god will be passed down for generations to come.”
“So, it’s all in the name of selfishness?” I cynically stated.
“Yes. That’s one way to perceive it,” Stheno added.
From the stories my parents, sisters, and the Graeae had told me about gods and mortals, I was able to recognize that I was extremely judgmental of them. Through the countless tales that I learned about, I saw a pattern in a majority of them. That gods, goddesses, and mortals usually made decisions and took actions for selfish reasons.
Prometheus giving fire to mortals, and Zeus punishing him by tying him to a rock for eagles to feed upon his liver. All because Zeus feared anyone getting even a slight amount of power could threaten him.
Hera assisting Jason to fulfill a prophecy so he could kill King Pelias and become king in his place. But Hera didn’t do it from the goodness of her heart. She only did it out of revenge on Pelias, for he honored all the gods but her.
And don’t even get me started on Narcissus.
Now, seeing these selfish ways affect my family only made me more skeptical of them. That Ladon was forced to be the guardian of the Garden of Hesprides only because Hera was insecure with the nymphs there. That Echidna was tucked away in a cave at the peak of a mountain, only because of her association with her husband, who challenged Zeus. And based on the advice my father and mother had given me, the gods and goddesses held their power over my family’s head, forcing my sisters and me to serve them at one of their temples in the future. Their motives were irrational and illogical. It all stemmed from their desire for power, and they pushed the boundaries with evoking that power, no matter how much harm it may have caused to others.
“How come the gods aren’t kind, Stheno? I always hear about theirwrathoranger, but rarely have I been told stories about them performing decent acts, simply out of kindness, receiving nothing in return.”
She stopped dead in her tracks, causing me to halt as well. My sister turned around and stepped towards me, placing her hand over my heart. “Meduso, you are so innocent and so kind. But you view the world so simply because you have yet to experience it. I knew mother kept you hidden away for far too long,” Stheno revealed.
“What do you mean?”
“Let me try to explain it, so you understand. Suppose the gods and goddesses were always nice to the world and to the mortals. Let’s just say they trusted every single mortal walking the surface. Do you think the mortals and the gods would live peacefully together?” she asked.
I shrugged. “I wouldn’t see why not.”
“That’s where you’re wrong, Meduso. Mortals long for power, fame, and wealth. Seeing a god who has it allows them to visualize that it’s attainable. Humans would take advantage of the kindness of the gods, which would lead to lying, stealing, cheating, and even killing. After all, the gods would be kind, right? The mortals would have nothing to fear. They wouldn’t face punishment or have any accountability for their actions.”
My sister’s hypothetical scenario began to sink into me. After all, I had only ever heard about mortals through stories. I still had yet to ever meet another mortal in my life.
“You will see soon enough, Meduso. Mother and father have both encouraged you to explore the surface after our visit with Echidna. When you meet with mortals, and talk with them, you will come to understand their poor behavior and their true nature,” Stheno confidently expressed.
I began to consider her words, and those of my parents and everyone else around me. Perhaps from experience, they did know the true nature of humans. I was in a deep moral dilemma with my thoughts on the actions of the gods. Hopefully, when I would be able to interact on land in the near future, I could then solidify my opinion.
Stheno and I continued to descend the mountain until we passed the precipice. The slope flattened, leading to a narrow trail. We followed this trail until we were able to see a bare hole right in the middle of the mountain. Stheno led the way inside, grabbing a lit torch at the entrance, carrying it with her as we explored deeper into the cave.
It felt like a never-ending tunnel. We continued to walk for several minutes until we finally reached a very large and circular room within the cave. The torch was no longer of use to us since there was a massive oculus overhead, allowing light to enter.
A figure came forth, stepping into the light. My mouth gaped open. For being Typhon’s wife, I was expecting to see a monstrous female creature. A repulsive, murky beast with fangs and talons, smelling of putrid, rotting flesh. But this was not what stood before me. She had similar features to my mother. The lower half of her body was composed of forest green scales, coiling into a snake’s tail. Her upper body was that of a human, but not just any human. An alluring one. Pleasant to the naked eye. Fair-skinned with shiny hair, the color of emeralds.
“Come forward, brother and sister,” the figure commanded.
