Daughter of Medusa

by Jessica Cage

  "You can stop checking on me, Iris. I'm fine." She received the agitated response. “I still don't have my voice, but I also have no plans of eating you or anyone else here. As soon as this is over with, I'll be out of your hair." Asa picked up her pace and walked ahead.

  "That doesn't seem good." Phoebe was suddenly next to Iris speculating on the short exchange she’d overheard.

  "Yeah, I messed things up, but you expected that." Iris glanced at the titan. "You predicted this would happen."

  "I only revealed the truth to everyone," Phoebe said smugly. “I’m not a prophet by far.”

  "I hate to repeat the sentiment that was just said, but as soon as this is over with, I will be sure to get far away from you." Iris rolled her eyes and moved further away from the smug woman.

  "Looks like our little girl power mission has a few bugs in it." Phoebe muttered.

  "Is there a wonder why?" Tethys chuckled. “You will never change, will you sister?”

  "What is that supposed to mean?" Phoebe stopped walking to face her accuser.

  "It was always this way with you Phoebe. You just had to be the center of attention. And now, when the spotlight isn't shining on you, you're just stirring up trouble. Why can’t you leave the girl alone?”

  "You're looking mighty comfy up there on your high horse.” Phoebe scoffed. “I’ve done nothing here but speak the truth. It’s not my problem if you all prefer to walk around with your eyes covered to the real issues at hand.”

  "Say what you want, but this girl power mission, as you call it, was perfectly fine before you joined it." Tethys walked off but called over her shoulder. "You should really try to figure out why everything always crumbles when you get involved."

  Twenty minutes later the women stood outside of the barred entryway to the witch’s armory. The tension between the ranks had only worsened but each was still committed to making sure they got the job done. Infighting couldn't be the reason that Athena won. They had to focus on the task at hand.

  Ella waved her hand and spoke the enchantment, “Lygíste ti thélisí mou”. The bars vibrated causing dirt to rain around them and after a moment light spilled from the markings engraved along the length of the metal and they parted to allow the women access. "I won't go any further," Ella told Delilah.

  "Are you sure?" Delilah looked back from the way they’d come. “It’s not safe out there.”

  "Yes, I'm afraid to fight. I wish that I weren't but I am." Ella took Delilah’s hand into hers. “I’ll be okay, I’ve survived this long.”

  "It’s okay Ella." Delilah hugged the girl. "This isn't your fight. It's mine. I just thank you for getting us here safely."

  "Please take care of yourself." Ella hugged her back as though she might never see her again.

  "I will. Now, get somewhere safe, please. Things are going to be dangerous for a while. I don't want you to get hurt." Delilah placed a kiss atop the short girl’s head.

  Ella said her goodbyes and headed back down the tunnel away from the group of women. Delilah watched the girl until she could no longer see her before she joined the rest of her group inside. The women were already going through the inventory of magical weaponry.

  "These witches weren't playing around were they?" Rhea looked at the stockpile.

  "They spent centuries amassing this collection. Fear is a powerful thing." Delilah walked around the room. "Even after they found out that the gods had fallen they still worked. It's amazing how that happens, isn't it? Every one of us has a reason to fight, and a reason to fear the beings who took so much from us. But we choose to let fear run us. Right now there are a lot of lives that rest on our shoulders. And though I came into this with nothing but the hope for revenge, I now realize that there is so much more that I must fight for. There are people here in Fidi who I love and care for and I will not turn my back on them. I will get vengeance for my mother, but I will also protect the people who have been by my side. That includes every woman in this room right now. What we are walking into is no joke. It’s a fight for the ages. And I will not leave that field until this is done. I will not allow Athena to take my home."

  The women loaded themselves with as much firepower as they could carry. Each one walked away from the armory with magical weapons of all sorts strapped to their bodies. Rhea had much more than she needed but seemed especially excited about the smoke bombs she'd filled the satchel she carried with. Once they were armed, they headed for the surface.

  The climb from the underground armory meant digging through the rubble from the collapse that happened when Delilah opened her portal to Earth and left the women in the middle of what was once Delilah's home, which had been completely leveled.

  "Athena did all this?" Iris looked around as she dusted the dirt from her hands.

  "No, unfortunately, this was my doing." Delilah kicked some fallen rubble from her path. "How could I have been so reckless?"

  "Now is not the time to beat yourself up about things of the past. You'll have plenty of time for that after we kick Athena's ass." Stheno stretched. "Can we get to it now? I've been waiting centuries to get my hands on that woman."

  In the distance, the shrieks of harpies sounded again as a large group of them took to the sky.

  "That can't be good." Asa looked up where the birds made a circular pattern.

  "I think we need to release the fates," Tethys spoke to Phoebe.

  "Excuse me?" She responded holding the chest that kept the souls secure tightly at her side.

  "For all we know, Athena is close to getting Themis out of her pillar. If that happens, we lose." Tethys explained herself. “That chest will not be enough to keep her from drawing them to her."

  "She's right." Rhea neared Phoebe as though she would try to snatch the chest from her clutches. "The best thing for us to do is to let them out. They can find a home inside a body somewhere which will make them less vulnerable to Themis' call. They never were particular to her after all."

  "I don't know if that's smart." Phoebe took a step back from both of her sisters.

  "Either we release them now, or we wait and see what happens when she gets Themis out of there. At least now we have a better chance of controlling the situation.” Tethys repeated Rhea's argument.

  “What if they go to her?” Iris asked. "Is that a possibility?"

  “What if they don’t? As long as they are without a host, Themis controls them." Tethys shrugged. "And if for some reason they find a home that we cannot control, at least Athena doesn’t have them.”

  "I still think we should wait." Phoebe looked at the faces of her sisters. "Trust me, please. This isn't the right time. I will keep them safe."

  "Okay, it's settled." Delilah stepped forward. "We don't have time to keep debating this. Phoebe will keep them safe but if it looks like Athena is close, we release them. Does that work for everyone?"

  "I don't agree, but I suppose it’s a good compromise." Tethys backed down with a frown.

  "Well, now that that's settled,” Stheno ripped the charm from her neck and handed it to Iris again for safe keeping. She let out a wicked laugh as her legs disappeared and her body expanded. The hair that fell around her face in thick locs returned to the snakes that danced around her head like a crown. "You are not making me put that thing back on."

  "Let's go sister." Euryale also took her charm off to reveal her true self. With her tail back in place she stretched her arms out and sighed happily. "You ladies keep on bickering, we're going to kick some goddess ass!" The gorgon women whooped and hollered as they turned and left the group standing in the rubble.

  "Am I the only one who saw this coming?" Asa laughed as the gorgons quickly disappeared.

  "I'm honestly surprised they hung around as long as they did." Rhea juggled a handful of the magical bombs she was itching to use. "Let's go. No reason they should get all the fun."

  In the heart of Fidi sat a massive expanse of water. The Limni was the life force for everything that existed in Fidi. Delilah
's magic fed the realm, but it was concentrated inside of the anchor that floated above the center of the lake. The anchor, which was three metal snakes intertwined to mimic a triton, fed the waters with magic and produced the life that helped to sustain the world. Athena's harpies flew in circles above the water and pummeled the surface with the soundwaves of their screams. The sound ways reverberated off the waters in visible waves that targeted a point not far from the shore.

  "That's it." Delilah pointed to the anchor. The women were hunched down behind the rebel of another fallen structure. Not far from them was the main temple of Fidi and perched at the top of the stairs was Themis' pillar. "We have to get them away from the anchor. They're trying to disrupt the cycle of magic. If they do that, they will have more than enough power to break Themis out. It will also destroy Fidi in the process."

  "Athena isn't trying to make Fidi her new home." Iris watched the scene in front of them. "She's trying to destroy it and syphon its magic."

  "Okay, so step one is to take out the damn harpies." Asa raised her hand. "I volunteer as tribute. I'm a bit peckish anyway."

  "That isn't our only issue." Rhea pointed to the bottom of the stairs. "What the hell are those?"

  "Hell dogs." Iris choked. "I've only seen one before and it wasn't alive. They're brutal creatures, the descendants of Cerberus. And I guess now they work for Athena."

  "Okay, birds in the sky, dogs on the ground, what else is there?"

  "My brother," Delilah muttered as she spotted Chrysaor exiting the temple. "He's here."

  "Okay women, I think it's time we moved." Rhea pointed to the roof of the temple where Euryale appeared.

  "How the hell did she get up there?" Asa gawked at the woman who appeared covered in blood and smiling.

  "I don't know but judging by the amount of blood she’s covered in; I don't imagine she did it without a fight." Rhea said as if she was proud of the image in front of her.

  Just then Euryale was spotted by the harpies that flew above the water. Three birds changed course and headed straight for the woman who welcomed them with open arms and an ear piercing battle cry that caused everyone besides Delilah and Asa to cover their ears. The harpies kept their course for her despite her cry but as they reached her, Euryale removed the covering from her eyes and the front three birds took in her cold sight and turned to stone. Their bodies dropped from the sky and crashed against the steps below shattering as they landed.

  "Yep, it's time to move." Asa flexed her muscles and her body expanded and shifted. Four heavy paws carried her forward in a sprint just before two large wings lifted her into the sky into the swarm of harpies. Tethys ran after her, diving into the waters below. As Asa devoured the harpies, Tethys gave her coverage from below. This time the water bombs that shot up into the air were charged with electricity. She planted a charmed stone taken from the armory inside each careful launch. When the harpies were hit they were stunned and fell either to a drowning death or were ripped apart by Asa's powerful jaw.

  While Asa and Tethys took on the harpies. Rhea, Iris, and Phoebe recovered from Euryale's call and flanked Delilah who ran for the temple. They hadn't made it far before the hell dogs caught their scent. The black masses turned their snarling faces towards the approaching women and growled. Thick stretches of tar colored drool fell to the ground from their mouths. Each one reared back and took off running towards the enemy.

  Rhea pounced forward catching one dog by the mouth and snapped its neck easily. She threw three of the smoke bombs ahead of them blinding the incoming pack of dogs. Phoebe shot a beam of light from her hand that cut through the throat of another dog and removed its head from its body. Delilah called the scepter to her hand and threw it through the head of the last, picking it back up and she ran past the falling carcass.

  Making easy work of the first round of monstrous pets, the women moved forward, but their victory was not long lasting. More of the dogs appeared around the side temple and descended the stairs from within it. Chrysaor stood at the top, proudly watching the women continue to fight.

  Delilah locked her focus on her brother then glanced at Rhea, "Cover me!" She called out and made a beeline for Chrysaor. Rhea's maniacal laughter could be heard over the ringing of explosions and the sounds of crushing hell dog deaths.

  Rhea hollered a guttural sound as she barreled forward through the smoke and cleared anything that entered Delilah's path. Euryale dropped to the ground in front of them and aided in the charge. Any dog that dared to look her in the eye fell to a stone hardened death. Any dog that managed to get close enough without making eye contact came to a worse demise as she ripped through them with her bare hands.

  While Rhea and Euryale made easy work of the dogs, Delilah ran forward. Iris took up the rear but stopped when she noticed Phoebe who’d made a detour down a side alley and followed her instead leaving the battlefield.

  “Sister!” Chrysaor called out as Delilah reached the foot of the steps. “I was wondering when you would make it here.”

  “Leave my home.” Delilah demanded as she began to climb the stairs.

  “Your home?” Chrysaor slowly descended the steps. “You left this place, and in a dire state might I add. How do you think we got here? Now you come here, and you want to defend this pathetic world?” He laughed and grabbed the hilt of his sword, preparing to defend himself should she attack. “Yes, your portal that you opened and left unattended. It gave us access to this world and all its wonders. And now, Athena has the new home she needs. It’s no Mount Olympus, but it will be a fitting home for the gods as they return. That’s only if it survives though. From the way the ground is already beginning to tremble beneath us, I say the odds of its endurance are slim to none.”

  “You are a traitor.” Delilah scolded him as they continued to draw closer to each other. “You stand here ready to defend the woman who cursed your mother!”

  “My mother, huh, I never knew her.” Chrysaor dismissed her. “Glad that I didn’t considering the stories I’ve heard of her.”

  “I will cut your tongue from your head.” Delilah pulled two blades from the sheaths at her side. “You will regret dishonoring my mother in my home!”

  “Bring it sister.” Chrysaor launched himself down the steps bringing his golden blade above his head and striking it down with intent to kill. Instead, his blade met the two of hers which were crossed above her head. Delilah pushed back sending her brother stumbling back up the steps.

  Chrysaor didn’t waste a moment. He was back on top of her, swinging his blade, but Delilah was ready for every attack. On her command the serpents that had come to her aid many times before, appeared from the ground and attacked her enemy. Delilah had Chrysaor in her grasps she was one blow away from ending his life when her name was called from atop the stairs. Her blade stopped an inch from his throat.

  “Delilah!” Athena stood at the top of the stairs in her battle gear. The golden body armor that fit her athletic form like a glove, shone in the light. The body she’d chosen when she returned to Earth was fitting of her. Long blonde hair flowed around her face in thick curls and framed her emerald eyes set in a strong face. “Daughter of Medusa, you’ve been quite the problem child, haven’t you?”

  “Athena,” Delilah pressed her blade against Chrysaor’s skin deep enough to spill his blood.

  “Yes, I am here. Thank you for the invitation to this wonderful realm.” Athena stood next to the pillar that held Themis and touched the cold stone. “It could use a bit of tidying up, but once I have the fates under my control, I’ll be able to fix things right on up.”

  "I will kill you," Delilah threatened the goddess.

  "Oh, how I'll love watching you try." Athena laughed. "But first I have a little present for my best soldier."

  Just then the deathly grip of a hell dog’s jaw clamped down on Delilah's arm. Its teeth broke through the flesh as she screamed. She ripped the dog from her arm just in time to see Athena toss the helmet to Chrysaor. He caught the metal
piece with one hand and placed it on his head. Within moments, the smug face of Delilah's brother vanished.

  "What the hell?" Delilah lifted her weapons in defense of the unseen.

  "The Helm of Hades. Such a wonderful little thing." Athena smiled but her grin turned sour as her eyes registered the scene beyond the stairs. The harpies continued to fall from the sky, weakening the force of magic that directed at Themis' pillar. The hell dogs fell in numbers as the gorgons and Rhea fought them with both magic and brute force. Stone bodies mixed with bloody limbs littered the ground as the gorgons made their way closer to her. Instead of confronting the threat, Athena turned and retreated into the temple and as she entered she sent out a massive wave of more of the hell dogs.

  Delilah's snakes kept the dogs from her as they descended the steps, but they couldn't defend her from the invisible threat.

  "Sister, my sister," Chrysaor’s voice taunted her. "Oh how I will enjoy this."

  Delilah stumbled back as the force of his fist slammed into her jaw. She swung in the direction the blow originated from but hit nothing. Again, she was hit, this time in the torso. One hit by his fist was followed by two thrusts of his knee and finally a kick to the side of her head. Delilah flew backwards crashing into the steps.

  "This is how you will die, just as your mother did." The cruel voice came from her left.

  "You are a bastard!" Delilah bated him and spit the blood from her mouth. "You're weak and pathetic and nothing more than a puppet for Athena."

  "I will end your life and bathe in your blood!" Chrysaor's anger raged.

  The sound of his sword once again being pulled from its sheath told Delilah where her brother was. She slowed her own breathing so that she could focus enough to block out the sounds of the battle that played out around her. Soon she could hear nothing but her target. His shaky breath, his heavy footfalls that brought him closer to her, and even pounding of his heartbeat were all she needed to pinpoint his location. She pulled the dagger from the ground beside her, dipped down beneath the sound of the approaching blade, fast enough to save her neck but not fast enough to avoid it completely. Strands of her hair fell to the ground as she raised the blade into the air and plunged it through the chest of the man hidden from her eyes.