The summer kissed island was capsuled inside unrelenting daylight. Its blue sky resembled the sphere of an infinitely large marble. Something about the air was abnormal. It was impregnated with a festering stillness. The few white clouds above were unmoving as if drawn unto the ceiling of the world. The edges of the island, cliffs, beaches and waters, they all were blurry, as if constantly at the edge of one’s vision.

This false world would be deeply unsettling to the waking, but not to the dreamer. A world crafted by the delicate fingers of Hypnos would not reject those that had heard the lullaby.

Eugenia felt the stale air tickle her skin. The wind seemed to have become considerate towards the situation and simply stopped before the ruined temple. Right here, in the barely covered ruined pavilion everything seemed to stand still. All but the scratching of a delicate finger against leather.

“Will you stop moving already?” Stheno demanded with a slightly miffed glare over her animal skin canvas.

“I’m sorry.” The young woman stiffened up and straightened her arm. This pose was rather tiring, so she had slowly started to lower her hand from the raised position.

“Move a little to the right.” She commanded.

“Like… this?”

“You have no sense for proper posing.” Stheno muttered as she squinted to get a good look.

“This is the first time I modeled.” Eugenia pointed out.

“Is that all? You can follow simple instructions, can you not?” She didn’t show much sympathy once she went into her artist state of mind. “Ugh, just lean against that guy!” She pointed her paint covered finger at the statue of a man behind Eugenia.

“As you wish.” She hastily moved back and leaned her hand against the towering shoulder of the statue. Now that she was so close she could see the amazing level of detail on this artwork. The sculptor must have been a genius. The man’s every muscle was chiseled out of the stone and his expression seemed eerily realistic. It was a twisted look, filled with fear. The mouth was just about to distort into a hellish scream.

It was safe to say that these islanders had some strange tastes.

“That works. I will just draw you without that thing.” Her mood improved quickly as she pushed her fingers into the earthen paints next to her and resumed moving them across the canvas.

Eugenia felt a bit tired from standing still for so long, but the statue really relieved her heavy arm. Posing as if she was trying to pull herself up on the statue, she could stay this way for far longer. Still, in this time deprived of stimuli she felt restless and her thoughts wandered.

She had ended up being taken in by Stheno, one of three sisters that lived in the ruined temple. The energetic girl had an artist’s soul and dragged Eugenia into all kinds of experimental sessions. She made her listen to some songs she had written and also gave her a tour through the piles of artworks she had completed.

As someone who lacked most of her memories, Eugenia could only nod along and take it all in. She could not remember whether she saw or heard anything better before coming here. She couldn’t even remember how she had arrived in the ocean where she had been picked up by Stheno. It was quite mysterious.

Her eyes slowly moved back to the entrance to an underground area that she had not yet been allowed to set foot inside. Stheno had only referred to it as ‘the lair’. That was where the oldest sister Medusa was. Medusa… Medusa was the reason she was here. That was the only thing she could say for certain. As long as she could get closer to her somehow she felt that things would work out.

“You should loosen your hair.” Stheno suggested.

“My hair is too wild. It will get in the way.”

“So what? There are times where you need to let it all fly freely!” She said excitedly. Surely she spoke from experience, seeing how incredibly absurdly long her hair was. She had tied it into braids and wrapped them around her waist, but the first time they met, the Gorgon sister had let it flow as freely as the waves of the ocean. It was a beautiful sight.

Eugenia felt tempted to follow her advice. Something inside her yearned for that unrestricted self-expression. But there was also that other voice that told her not to be unreasonable.

“It will ruin your painting.” She said quietly.

“I will work it out somehow. I always do!” That brilliant grin was certainly divine. Confronted with such overwhelming positivity, how could anyone still deny her?

Eugenia loosened the cord around her hair and let it go. The tied up and restricted hair was now hanging down her back and waved in the suddenly returning breeze. It was as if the island reacted to their interactions. Some strands kept covering her eyes, which was pretty annoying, but she still felt refreshed. The statue was warming up as well, as if the rays of the sun finally reached it.

“Mhm, now this is what I was looking for.” The artist declared and rushed her fingers across the canvas.

“Say, Lady Stheno…”

“Yes yes?”

“I think you would find better models than me even in this far off place. Would you not rather paint your sisters or the scenery?” It had been bothering her ever since the cheerful girl had dragged her here.

“That would be boring.” She retorted.

“Boring? But they are so pretty.”

“That’s the problem.” She determinedly moved her index finger across the leather skin and her expression turned more thoughtful. “I only love ugly things.”

Skrrrt.

It was like the sound of nails on leather, but it didn’t come from Stheno. Instead it scratched the back of Eugenia’s mind. For just a moment something had resurfaced in her empty mind.

She tried to bed the deformed smith. Her taste has always been unfathomable.

Who had said that? She could not remember, but she immediately understood that this was exactly how Stheno should be. Somehow Eugenia knew that Stheno indeed loved those things that the world would consider ugly.

“Why?” She wondered with a slight dizzy spell.

“I am beautiful. If I were to seek out other beautiful things, then a comparison would not always turn out favorable.” She explained without looking up from her work. “Next to an ugly thing I will always be the more beautiful. If something is ugly then it will seek out my beauty as well. We complement the other.”

“But what of those who envy your beauty?”

“Beauty one cannot attain is a blight, but if that sublime thing lowers itself to them, they will feel blessed and grateful.” She stopped her finger in the center of the painting.

It was an egocentric way of life. To assemble all that was lower than her round and round, so that she could always feel superior. But was there not happiness in this as well? The poor souls that thought such bliss was forever denied to them would shed tears of gratitude and be devoted beyond measure. All the power lied with the Gorgon sister, but this dependence was addictive and bittersweet.

“So I am ugly.” Eugenia realized and looked at her sun kissed skin. The tan had dried out somewhat, telling of a life in a blazing hot place. She had not seen her own reflection yet, but to appeal to Stheno’s tastes she must have not been much to look at.

“I never said that.” The Gorgon sister wiped those words out of the air and smirked. “I have seen far more wretched humans before. The truth is that I got bored of drawing the same things every day.”

Eugenia felt her face turn hot as a sun scorched rock. That mischievous expression on Stheno’s face told her that she had been toyed with. She felt quite ashamed.

“Could you not blush so much? I have little red paint left.” She complained and took some of the red with her little finger. She had colors that Eugenia had never seen in art before. When she had asked where she obtained such rare ingredients, the girl simply said that the ocean held many secrets that humans didn’t know. She had crushed a red snail shell beforehand and mixed it with liquid to create a deep red tone.

Many of the paintings she had shown Eugenia were reimagining of battles. They were morbid and grotesque, just the way the Gorgon seemed to like it. That was where most of her red paint went. The one causing such devastation in each of the artworks was a giant wild snake. A being that must have gorged itself on the corpses of the fallen to grow ever more. Something about its silvery eyes was hauntingly familiar. She should felt nothing but fear when seeing such a monster, but instead she had felt only pity for it.

Thinking of such things cooled her heartbeat down and returned her cheeks to the usual pale.

“You are a strange human.” Stheno stopped her work and leaned back on the round carved stone she sat on to stretch her limbs. She seemed satisfied with her art and faced Eugenia directly now. “You can let go of that thing already.” She waved her over with a wry smile.

“R-right away!” She let go of the tall statue and came to the woman’s side. She had learned that sitting on the same level as her displeased her, so she crossed her legs on the dirty ground instead and looked up.

“Are you not afraid of us?” Stheno asked curiously.

“Should I be?” She wondered.

“Hehehe, a little bit of fear keeps your kind alive for longer.” She seemed amused by her cluelessness. “As long as you entertain me I will protect you of course. Be thankful~”

“I am.”

“And don’t be so awfully serious about everything. You remind me of Rya.” She sighed warmly and used her paint dried fingers to push aside one of Eugenia’s loose bangs. “Many humans fear us sisters, so beware. Rya will not touch you as long as you don’t aggravate her too much, but if you do get on her bad side, even I cannot protect you. And Dusa is far more…” She closed her fingers and the strand of hair fell down, severed in a heartbeat. “…irritable yet.”

“Medusa hates humans?” Her fractured mind was acting up.

“Hmhm, she hates nearly everything in this world.” Stheno shrugged. “Which is exactly why you are so strange. You said something about saving Dusa. Has your memory not returned yet?”

Eugenia weakly shook her head. She had only been on Sarpedon for one day, but many things had triggered sensations of remembrance. Too swift to be caught, too intense to be ignored.

“I need to meet her.” That was all she knew for certain.

“She will sever your head before you can even open that frail mouth of yours.” She traced Eugenia’s throat with one nail. “Dusa does not tolerate anyone in her lair except us. And even we get kicked out most of the time.” She added with a pout.

Eugenia held her throat that had begun to tickle after the soft touch. To think that the third Gorgon sister was so incredibly defensive. What did a renowned monster even have to fear?

Monster? Why did she know that-

“Stay with me. You have that distant look again.” Stheno snapped her out of another trance.

“Can’t you ask her to speak with me? It is really important.”

“Normally I would not even let a pet near her whatsoever. Even an unfortunate glance could mean the end of your life. That is the curse of her eyes.” The dozens of statues around them seemed to cry out in silent pain as she mentioned the curse. “You are special however. For some reason you did not get affected by her eyes. I am so curious how you did that.”

“I don’t know. I didn’t even know she was cursed.”

It was the truth. It was a lie. Looking at Medusa’s eyes had filled her with great nostalgia. She had never seen her eyes. The curse did not work on her. It had never reached her.

“This only becomes stranger the longer we talk. A human that wants to save Dusa without even knowing who she is. Destiny perhaps? I bet a poet could make a nice tale out of that.” She seemed unusually giddy. “Fine, if it will entertain me I will try to butter her up for you. You will have to promise me that you recall what you need to warn her about until then. Getting favors from my dear sisters is a painful undertaking, so it must pay off.”

“I will do it.” She nodded with determination.

“Then it is settled! I am getting excited already~”

The second day had come quickly without warning. Eugenia did not remember sleeping, but she knew that she had woken inside the warm hides Stheno had given her. The action of sleep was absent, but the result was fixed. She could see the sunrise from the window.

The temple was a lot more complete compared to what she was used to. The temple was ruined beyond repair. The Greenhouse had been destroyed in a fiery blaze.

She yawned and rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. It was hard to tell if she was rested or not. Her body just went through the motions automatically. Getting up, dressing in the raggedy clothes she had worn on arrival and then washing her face inside the large wooden bowl next to the bedstead.

The reflection revealed a girl she did not recognize well. Who exactly was she? There was a faint memory of this person, but she had never seen her in such detail. She had never laid eyes on herself. She always relied on the sight of others.

Outside Stheno’s place grew tall grass that brushed against her bare ankles. It was a relaxing sensation that she had missed for a long time. Back in her home village she could have felt it every day. Dankana was a farming village. The tall ears could scratch the villagers’ skin until it turned red.

She sucked in the air quickly when she tripped over something in the grass. Eugenia barely caught herself with her other leg and stepped over the crumbled pieces of a statue. She had tripped over the extended spear arm that was still holding a rotting wooden weapon. The face had cracked, but the marble eyes seemed to penetrate her soul. Some of Stheno’s earthen paints had been spread over the area and it seemed like the man was covered in a swirl of devouring colors.

‘RAAAH Away With You Monsteeeer!’

The cry echoed inside her head as if the man was truly alive. It made her stomach feel nauseous. The cries of existential dread had consumed the entire area as all these men were turned to unfeeling stone. They never had stood a chance against the unholy creature in the heart of the island.

Eugenia rubbed her face to blend out the cracks in her mind. She had to keep it together. This knowledge was irrelevant to her mission. Instead she needed to remember how to save Medusa. Something was going to arrive and then it would be too late. But was it inside the island or outside? How many times could she fail before it was irreversible?

“You make too much noise.” A quiet voice reached her from above. Looking up revealed the youngest looking Gorgon sister, Euryale. Her aura was cold and mature compared to her twin sister, though.

“I apologize for my clumsiness.” She rubbed her hurt foot with both hands and lowered her head in shame.

“You may apologize, but it is meaningless if you cannot repay me for ruining my morning.” Her eyes were not even acknowledging the human below her directly. Instead she faced the infinite blue of the ocean.

Eugenia wondered why she had to repay her in the first place. She had made some noise when she hurt herself, but was it truly that much of a crime to the pretty woman’s ears? Something inside the back of her head pressed her to act rebellious, but the much more sane part prevented any escalation.

“How can I make up for it?”

“If you are repentant you should figure this much out on your own.”

She was extremely annoying! Euryale was always like this, she could simply not act reasonable.

“There must be something you desire.” She insisted.

“I desire peace and quiet, alas, you have already taken it from me with your presence on my island.” She closed her eyes and frowned. “As if Stheno’s constant noises were not enough. I am still in disbelief that Medusa allowed you to live after what the last human did.”

“…that person attacked Lady Stheno in her sleep?”

“She told you? How unexpected. That one does not admit her mistakes easily.” Euryale twisted her torso away and looked over the temple. “Insistent to keep vermin around, she was bitten by the insect. Foolish as humans are, he never comprehended his mistake before his spine was torn from his neck.”

Eugenia swallowed at the gruesome image and covered the back of her neck.

“Our heritage is that of divinity. We are not like you mortals. A mere knife cannot end us.” But it was clearly an insult to be attacked in such a manner, which was what Euryale’s expression revealed.

The Gorgon sisters were all divine beings. Lesser deities. To be in their presence was already an honor. Not all of them were divine.

“If he could not harm you, then perhaps he did not have to die for his mistake...” She muttered with a lowered gaze.

“Not another word or you will force me to break my promise to Stheno.” It was an unmistakable warning.

“My apologies.”

“If you insist on meeting my older sister you will find that your resistance to her curse is not a blessing. Stay inside your bird cage to entertain Stheno, that way you will last a smidgen longer.” She was just full of warnings today it seemed. The one she cared for was clearly not the human girl however. “My throat is unbearably parched.” She finally grew tired of conversation and extended her large wings to flap away and leave Eugenia behind.

No matter how one spun the exchange, Eugenia had clearly messed up and worsened the blood between them. She could not turn back time to change anything though, so she would simply have to avoid the coldest sister from now on. Once she had made up her mind, Euryale never let a grudge go.

“I hope Lady Stheno can convince Medusa.” She prayed to some unspecified deity that there would be some good news today.

“No dice.” Stheno said with crossed arms and a deep frown.

“W-what?”

“She doesn’t want to talk to you and that’s putting it lightly. She doesn’t even want to throw you for fun or use you as a scale cleaner.” She played with the fringes of her waist-tied hair and pouted.

Eugenia didn’t even want to know why those things were used as part of the negotiations. The end result was unacceptable. She was running out of time.

“Please, you have to try again! If you tell her that her life is in danger then-“

“Let me be clear, little human. When I say it won’t happen then there are no ifs or buts.” Stheno’s expression became a lot more unsympathetic for a quick moment and there was something malicious inside her silver-purple eyes. This presence alone made Eugenia freeze up and unable to talk back. “Dusa is stronger than anyone. Do you know how many men have tried to slay her in this past century? She will be fine.” The Gorgon sister laid a hand on Eugenia’s face and turned softer. “Give up and enjoy yourself as long as you can. That is for the best.”

Give up? She wants to be left alone. Give in. Do not interfere with fate.

“I will never give up.” Eugenia said with a hardened expression and pushed past Stheno. Her heavy steps hurried as she headed for the lair. She had to risk it, even if her life was at stake!

“Hahaha, you really are strange. I like it!” Stheno had been stunned for a moment, but then began laughing as the distance between them grew.

Eugenia ignored her laughter and pushed her entire body against the entrance to the lair. Somehow it seemed far heavier than she expected. Medusa had always moved it with such ease. The crack from the harpoon was nowhere to be seen.

“Open… up!” She gritted her teeth and finally threw the door open. Before her was a steep descending staircase that led into darkness. At the end of this was the lair and the one she sought out. She took her first step determinedly.

A stinging red-hot pain went through her neck and she widened her eyes. It was like the link between her body and mind were severed forcefully. She managed to turn around as she fell down the steps. Stheno stood at the entrance with a raised hand and a smile.

“You are too interesting to be broken by Dusa.” She declared.

Light faded from Eugenia’s eyes and she succumbed to the embrace of darkness.

How many times would she fade out and return in what seemed to be an instant? This was at least the third time. She could feel neither sleep nor unconsciousness. She merely woke up in a different place and time. This time and place was unfamiliar to her.

There was a weak light beyond the edges of the hill, so she had to assume it was morning or evening. Whichever it was the where seemed more important. Her legs were covered in mud, her heels already deep sunken into it. Her hands grabbed the metal rods of the cage with all their might. The cold iron seemed to cling to her skin.

A cage. She was inside a cage. But who would make a cage from precious iron? That was unheard of. Wood would have sufficed, surely? An extravagant show of affluence. The lion caged in its guts had been shipped across the ocean to impress the Gorgon, the false goddess.

She knew this cage, but at the same time not. Yet she had little time to muse over this, as she felt an immense pressure to escape immediately. She had never had a real fear of tight spaces, much less did she fear a lack of freedom. Cooped up in the temple each day she had become far too used to it. Rather there was an external fear that kept her heart racing. She could not stay in this cage, because-

“You’ve awoken. Took you a while. I must have hit you a little too hard, what with your frail human constitution. Good morning~” Stheno spoke up from above. She had been sitting on top of the cage the entire time.

“Let me out!”

“Is that how you greet your Lady? I expected at least a ‘good morning’. I ought to teach you some manners, eventually. First you must learn to take orders seriously though.” She threw something into the cage. It was a lute. “You said you could play this instrument, so I’d like you perform. My song will reach new heights with your accompaniment.” She smiled happily.

“What are you saying? You imprisoned me here! Why do you think I would play music for you?” It was insane. As if they were in completely different situations.

“If you would rather put it in more human terms, well.” She put a finger to her temple and thought about it. “Yes, you should earn your keep. Entertain me and I will keep feeding you!” Stheno seemed honestly proud of herself. This seemed to be the height of diplomacy in her eyes.

Something was wrong about all of this. The Gorgon sister could be troublesome and selfish, but she hadn’t been so devious before. The twins had encouraged her in the past. This caricature was nothing like the real Stheno.

“You are mad.” She felt the bile rise in her throat and she threw the lute into the deep mud.

“That was the only one I had. You are being quite difficult.” She twisted her lips in disapproval.

“Let me out of here. I need to speak to Medusa!”

“You keep going on and on about Dusa. Have you still not understood who owns you?!” She kicked the cage with her bare foot and it shook considerably. The vibrations hit Eugenia’s ears excessively hard. Her ears were too sensitive.

“Ungh… please… she is your sister…” She held her vibrating head in pain and pled.

“That she is. Which is why I know that there is nobody more stubborn than her. If she doesn’t want to be saved then you will not get through to her.” That line was spoken with a hidden sadness.

“What-?”

“I will let you tire yourself out a little. Try to dig up the present I gave you, so we can make up later.” She smiled and then jumped off the cage. Her leap took her an entire ship’s length away and unto the hill. Her contours were surrounded by a fringe of light as she stood in the rising sun. The foreboding wind rushed through her long hair, giving her a wild but beautiful appearance. What were her eyes focused on?

The next moment Eugenia was alone.

The cold mud was eating at her feet, the morning wind cutting her skin. The cage was unyielding and her heart was in uproar. It was the third day since she had arrived on Sarpedon. Time was almost up.

“Medusa doesn’t want to be saved?” She muttered between gritted teeth. Why did they always think they could decide everything on their own? Why did the sisters have to look so incredibly sad as they repeated this song and dance?! “This is my choice!” She declared to the empty land around her and pushed her arm through the gaps in the cage. She could fit her entire arm through it, but the gaps were too thin to let her torso pass.

Next she tried to lift the cage with her miserable body strength, but it would not budge in the slightest. It was too heavy to be moved even by six men without tools, so she stood no hope alone. She was running out of ideas quickly.

Her foot hit the lute that had sunken into the mud. Right now it made her unreasonably mad, so she kicked it with all her might. It flew through the gaps and was smashed against a rock. Eugenia immediately regretted it. The lute wasn’t at fault and to waste such a precious instrument in rage was against her nature. As she reprimanded herself, her foot sank into the hole the lute had left.

“The mud…” She felt a flash of realization and immediately went onto her knees. Her hands took large loads of mud and swiped them aside. Like a mole she began to dig into the soft ground. With some effort and sweat she managed to increase the size of the hole. Her cold and wet fingers turned numb, but it seemed to work. For every pile she moved aside, half of the hole closed again with new mud, but she could make progress.

It took her several grueling hours, but in the end she had dug a small hole that led below the cage. It was just deep enough for her to slip into. If the cage had stood on solid ground she would have had no way to escape, so she was thankful that Stheno had not moved it away. Her entire body was soon covered in dirt and her clothes were soaked, but she was flexible enough to make it out. She slipped through and laid down outside the cage with heavy breaths accompanying her heaving chest.

She had never felt this exhausted in her life. The invisible scar on her waist pulsated in the rhythm of Thanatos ragged breathing.

Now she could finally return to Medusa. If she rushed straight to the lair she could still make it in time. Stheno might have discovered her escape soon, but she had to accept that possibility and persevere. The climb over the hill in front of her seemed particularly daunting with her slippery mud covered feet, but it was not too tall. She dug her fingers into the wet earth and carefully pulled her weight across it. In her current state even such little exertion forced her to stop every few seconds.

She spat out some mud that had slid over her face as she hung unto the top of the hill with one arm. Just one more strain of her muscles and she would be over it.

“Medusa.” She spoke her name to gather strength and reached the peak!

Before her was the temple ruin, covered in a strange illumination. Like the still picture on a vase it would forever be caught in this ephemeral moment. That was the impression her eyes gave her. But the light source was not the sun on Helios chariot. Her eyes reflexively closed when she was blinded by a penetrating shine from the distance. Flames were circling the horizon. They grew larger as they devoured the waters and consumed the waves.

“Impossible.” She wondered if she was hallucinating already. Water could not burn and the ocean should not be going up in flames. The light at the center of the raging fire was far more sublime and beautiful than the savage fires surrounding it. Focused. Divine.

Eugenia unsteadily rose to her feet and watched the fire circle closer around the island. Its path was getting tighter and tighter until Sarpedon was caged in fiery walls. Time had run out.

She could feel the heat even from here already and her heartbeat increased with hissing of deadly heat. Where were the others? Did they not see this?!

“So you have finally come.” There was one voice that reached all across the isle. This authoritative, proud voice belonged to the greatest of the Gorgon sisters and the unyielding master of this place. “Hero!”

As she called out to him, the towering figure emerged from the flames and set a sandaled foot onto the island. The giant man was made of pure light! He wore armor of pure gold that resembled those of the proud Spartans and his glowing eyes resembled gems of infinite worth. There was no discernible face below the imposing helmet, but the golden fur of a lion was strapped across the ‘hero’s waist.

He stood fearlessly before the temple and raised his hand to the darkening smoke filled sky. With a thunderous sound a branch of pure light extended from the heavens and lodged itself into the giant’s outstretched hand.

“Zeus almighty…!” Eugenia shivered in fear as she saw the weapon that only the king of the gods should be able to hold. A spear of pure lightning, a weapon that slayed monsters and Titans. The very essence of nature’s might and superiority to mortals.

He pointed it at Medusa. A challenge.

“Then we shall struggle for dominance on this cursed land, hero. Your divine light or my spiteful curse, which will prevail?” Medusa stood tall on the steps of the temple and seemed to transform. She became far taller and her body was covered in scales. The hissing snake hair became terrifying as she was clad in the aura of hatred and death.

The hero said nothing.

“RAAAH!” Medusa roared with bestial might and rushed forward. There was no semblance of her countenance and wit left in that warcry.

Eugenia wanted to move forward, but her legs gave out. She just fell to her knees and had to watch the battle unfold.

Thunderous strikes of Medusa’s large claws created sparks on the hero’s armor and cut gaps into the raging fires around them. The giant of light swiped her attack aside and rammed his lightning spear into the Gorgon’s scaly side! A stinking black scorching wound exploded in her body and left behind horrible smoke that could turn one’s stomach inside out… but she did not even flinch.

“Rrrgh… graah… AAHHH!” Medusa’s growls increased in intensity as she slashed wildly after the hero and put dents into his armor. Her tail wrapped around his leg and pulled him down. He resisted and stabbed his spear into her snake half, pinning it down. Then he delivered a harrowing punch to her jaw and dislocated it… No, it was barely even recognizable anymore. Eugenia had to wince when she saw the Gorgon’s distorted face.

“Dusa!” Finally Stheno came flying from above, trying to get a read on the situation, but she did not dare to come closer for fear of the flames that greedily snapped after her wings. From out of the waters rose Euryale as well, extinguishing the flames around her with the ocean’s cries.

Medusa’s jaw was already regenerating, but it only released primal screams to begin with. She rammed her giant fangs into the hero’s unprotected neck and severed his jugular. That should have been the end, but this giant was not human. His blood was pure light and his will to exterminate was preordained. He grabbed Medusa’s throat and kicked the lightning spear deeper into her body.

This struggle was witnessed by her sisters and Eugenia alike, none of them could move closer for some reason. Eugenia’s very soul struggled to free herself from this invisible barrier between them, but to no avail. The twins on the other hand seemed to be willing, but too afraid to interfere. Stheno circled around the fighters and searched for an opening. But as soon as she decided to finally attack, another lightning bolt struck her down from the sky.

“Lady Stheno!” Eugenia reached out her hand in shock. To her surprise her fingers went beyond the prior resistance.

The hero shone brightly and attracted dozens of electrified bolts to his armor, shocking the Gorgon in his grip through contact. Medusa’s monstrous eyes that could not affect the divine servant were turning black as she was burned and shocked over and over. She twisted her tail so strongly that the lightning spear tore through it… and split it in half. But despite the gushing black blood pouring from it, she could move again.

The hero’s glowing eyes seemed to widen in shock as the Gorgon grabbed both his arms and actually tore them off her throat. Each current of lightning that went through her seemed to destroy her flesh, but she only glared him down madly. The snakes bore their fangs into his helmet and pulled it off. Below was only a head-shaped mass of pure golden light.

With a last ditch effort the giant supercharged himself and released all his lightning at once. Blue and white currents seared through Eugenia’s eyes as the island was completely flashed by this intense shockwave. The ground shook from earthquakes and send the girl rolling down the hill and into the tall grass before the temple. She managed to pull herself up on one of the statues, which began to crumble from the shockwaves. Dozens of statues around her broke apart into thousands of pieces.

After lightning came thunder. The hammers of Hephaestus paled before the deafening noise that penetrated everything around it. Eugenia almost lost consciousness as her sensitive eyes exploded in pain. It wasn’t just an expression, she had felt the horrifying pop and the hot pain of blood dripping out of her ears. She could hear nothing but an intense ringing anymore.

But her eyes still worked. Her eyes never worked. The scene of destruction before her was seared into her mind. She could not understand anything before her. A crater was torn into the land. There was only darkness. In its center stood the two opponents…

The hero of light was impaled by Medusa’s claw. It had penetrated all the way to the other side and come out of his back. He was hunched forward in defeat. The Gorgon was quiet as her burned skin regenerated quickly and her flesh was mended. Her silvery eyes were full of madness. With a horrible crunch she tore open the glowing chest and then rammed her tail through the hole. It went through the neck and out of the hero’s head and staked him where he stood.

“Grrraaaahhh!” She roared and then rammed her head against his. The snakes tore open the golden faceless head and showed the very core of its being, which was the source of the eyes light. The Gorgon, a monstrous cursed being, glared into the depth of divinity… and petrified them. The giant of light squirmed one last time as all of the gold turned to lead. The statue was still propped up by the snake tail.

“She won.” Eugenia spoke words that her deaf ears could not perceive. Only one thought echoed inside her hurting mind.

It’s too late It’s too late It’s too late It’s too late It’s too late It’s too late

The statue was crushed in one violent motion and the last sizzles of electricity left the air. The flames around the island died down like the life force of the avatar of light itself. The dark sky did not clear up however, as the smoke seemed to choke it completely. Tartarus seemed not too far from this place anymore.

Eugenia could not hear the loud coughing of Stheno, but she saw her hunched back rise from the burned crater where she had been struck down. Her clothes had been turned to cinders, but her delicate skin was already healing. Unlike Medusa her divine resilience was nearly instantaneous and true. No scales replaced the injured spots, no bone was breaking through the broken parts.

The Gorgon sister swayed for a moment before she held unto a pillar and then looked up to the thing in front of her. She said something. Then a claw tore through her arm. If she had not dodged to the left she would have been split in two. She bit her lower lip and extended her wings, but they were still too scorched to move.

“Medusa, why are you attacking her?!” Eugenia silently cried out and staggered forward.

The Gorgon raised its head to roar to the sky and tore down several pillar with her long tail. The carnage seemed unending. Her silver eyes were slowly covered in an infectious red. Had the wounds driven her mad? Or was it something else altogether? Deep down this terrifying sight seemed… natural.

What was she thinking? This wasn’t what Medusa should be! Eugenia moved before the flailing beast and raised her hands to stop her. It didn’t matter if she got hurt, she could not bear to see her destroy any more of herself!

“Medusa look at me!” She begged.

The Gorgon sensed her. Its red eyes stared down angrily. They seemed to ask why this pest was not petrified yet.

“I am Eugenia of Lamia! And I am… your friend.”

“…” The Gorgon stood still and flicked its long snake tongue through the air. Smell of sweat, smell of fear, smell of despair. Surely she tasted it all.

“Come back to me.” Eugenia implored with tears in her eyes.

Come back Come back Come back Come back Come back Come back Come back

“-----“ The Gorgon said something, but she could not hear. It was as if she was truly blind to everything. Medusa extended her hand-

Something heavy hit Eugenia from the side and rammed her away. She lost her sense of direction and was splashed against a wall. A small waves of ocean water had taken her along and pushed her out of her spot and not a second too late, because the Gorgon’s claw already penetrated the earth where she had stood.

Eugenia forced her weary eyes open and looked across the scorched grass. Euryale stood there with a raised hand. She had commanded the water to save her. She was staring ahead stoically and formed a slow sentence. Even from here Eugenia could read her full lips.

L-e-a-v-e.

The bloodthirsty monster turned its fangs towards the resolute beauty at the beach and slithered forward at unbelievable speed. In a moment she already rammed her into the deepest waters and spun her around violently, creating geysers everywhere. There was no hesitation or mercy in her at all.

Eugenia coughed up some water and red liquid and sank down the wall. She could not fathom how it had come to this. Three days had passed and now her mission had failed. Medusa was already lost. A mindless beast that would attack her own flesh and blood indiscriminately, the monster the gods and humans alike reviled. That was the essence of the Gorgon Medusa.

No human heart and no act of sacrifice could fix this inherent wretchedness. Was her wish truly unattainable?

Her consciousness lapsed. Each time she opened her eyes there was more destruction and more red. She saw Euryale cut down, Stheno crushed. They could no longer move despite being unable to die. Each living thing would end up the same way. It was her turn next.

Her mind faded, her mind returned.

Medusa was right before her. Deep red eyes with a silver center only a hair’s breadths away. She could feel her breath against her face. Death had reached her.

In her last moments she wondered if her soul would ever find its way to the underworld from this nightmare.

“So…rry…”

To the bitter end the twisted existence of the Gorgon contradicted itself.

An executioner should not apologize to those they culled.

Eugenia had died. Her existence was over. This deep darkness should have been the afterlife. It did feel so incredibly heavy. She had always thought souls were lighter, for they had no body to drag around. It was also incredibly cold.

Her body got dragged around relentlessly by the current and she felt herself just giving in to the numbing icy waters. Her eyes opened and did not even feel the salty sting of the ocean water. She was sinking rapidly, unable to resist the current. But she was not sinking alone…

A beautiful girl was diving through the ocean, letting her long hair float after her like a village banner. Her silvery-purple eyes had already caught her.

“Don’t give up so soon.” She said.

Eugenia’s heart beat once in surprise, before she was dragged out of the ocean and into the air by the girl with wings. They were here again. The same scene before the fateful meeting. As they landed on Sarpedon she braced for impact and was covered in sand.

“Miscalculated the landing… pleh.” Stheno spat out some sand and then laughed.

“I am back.” The human girl whispered.

“I was surprised to find a human in these waters! My name is Stheno by the way. You can also call me Gorgon, but then my sisters would probably kill y-“

“Lady Stheno!” She grabbed the beautiful girl by the long hair and put her face close in panic.

“Hmhm, you can’t help yourself? Very well, touch it all you want.” She was in a generous mood.

“Where is Medusa?! She attacked you and Lady Euryale- No, we are all dead!” She lost her grip and hastily looked around for signs of the battle. But the island was completely intact, pristine even.

“Dusa? Are you one of those mad humans that want to slay her?” Stheno twirled one finger through her hair and watched the panicked human intently. She clearly had no idea who she was. “What a shame, I would have liked to keep you. There aren’t many of your kind around here. There is no way Dusa will let me if you are invading her territory, though.” She sighed disappointedly.

“No, I will never harm Medusa! I am here to save her!”

“Save me?” A deep and challenging voice emerged from the temple and once more she met with the proud Gorgon herself. She stood above and they immediately locked eyes.

“You aren’t turning to stone!” Stheno exclaimed.

Eugenia could not believe it. Everything had returned to normal. Returned to the past. Medusa was still herself and the twins had not been attacked yet. Cronos himself had forced the world back to its previous state, there was no other explanation.

“I am so glad.” She said to the cautious snake woman above and fell to her knees as all tension left her muscles. There was still a chance. It was not too late!

She could still save Medusa from herself.

As the dream returned to the beginning, the inevitable conclusion marched forward in turn. The blind woman experienced the snake devouring its own tail and found herself in its center. Her determination was tested in this trial of her own making. Yet the Gorgon only watched on.