Medusa

"The gods have blessed our quest!  We shall slay the beast in their name, and for our glory!"  The men hooted and hollered, as do most who spent the night drinking, and spent little time sobering up.

"Remember, Perseus, she is so ugly, that she can turn mortal men to stone!"  Some of the soldiers looked a little uneasy at his words.  This monk had wandered into their camp late last evening, and had been telling tales the whole time.  Perseus grumbled.

"Aye, she was cursed by the gods, and that's why we shall take her head!"  The monk shook his head.

"Be careful that she does not take your head.  Look inside the temple.  See the men who've already fallen in battle."  The men peered through the open doors, and heard a sound scraping over the stone.  They looked and saw statues everywhere.  Male statues.

"Bah, its a temple!"  The monk chuckled.

"Really?  There were no statues there when I was a boy.  It had just been built when she took up residence.  You can even hear her slither hear and there.  Listen close.  Snake skin."  Half the men backed away from the temple.  The monk hid a grin.  "Not to worry, great Perseus, I shall enter with you.  I've been inside only a handful of times, but she seems not to target me."  Perseus was a large man, and he stood nearly a head taller then the monk.

"And why is that?  Does she fear you?"  The monk laughed hard at that.  He pulled back his hood.  Half his face was scarred from the flame, and one of his eyes were gray.  They knew why.  It was a dead eye.

"No, great Perseus.  I am no threat to her.  She could kill me, if she chose to do so, but has not.  At least, not yet she hasn't.  Who knows?  Maybe today she'll revisit her decision and cut me down, as the gods above know, I am no prize to be kept for a statue!"  That brought some laughter, and a smile to the large man's lips.

"At the very least, you'll provide a distraction, monk.  Very well.  Join us, if you wish to test your resistance to the afterlife."  He looked to the other soldiers.  "The rest of you who still have your courage....follow me!"




The monk walked familiar paths, heard cursing and swearing, the clash of steel upon the stone, and the scent of blood in the air.  A whisper passed his ear.

"Two down.  Five to go.  Its been a while, old man."  He smiled softly.

"Aye, my lady, that it has."  He spoke softly, and waited.  He didn't have long to wait.  The roar of the great Perseus as he pursued his quarry, and the gentle laughter as he fell to the stone.  Even a massive man such as he could not stand when his organs were skewered by a dozen feathered missiles.




"Monk!  Where are the rest of the men?"  The monk shrugged.

"I believe they are still in deadly battle."  The solder frowned.

"Who is this?  And why do you bring her out of the temple?"  He unsheathed his sword.  "Are you bringing the foul beast right to us?"

"Put away your sword.  She is no threat.  She isn't even armed."  The soldier growled.

"Then why does she cover her face?"  The monk reached back and pulled it back to uncover her face, but not her hair.  "Ugh, she's hideous!"

"She's scarred, like me.  Burned by the enemy of the king long ago.  She was on a pilgrimage to this temple, but the storms forced her to find shelter.  You know that Medusa does not target women.  She does target men, for what the gods did to her."  The soldier nodded, then turned his head as he listened to a noise.

"And what is that I'm hearing?  Snake skin?"  The monk chuckled, and pulled up the edge of her robe.

"Tree bark.  For when she kneels at the altar.  When you're praying to the gods who are notorious for not listening, you'll want to protect your knees so you can pray longer.  Maybe the length of time has something to do with faith.  I've never figured that one out myself."  The soldier grumbled.

"Seems like Perseus is bent on taking all the glory for himself."

"I wouldn't worry about that.  Proud men are most often brought down by the gods, whether it is by their blessings, or their curses.  Now you'll excuse me, I would like to get her back to the city, so that she can see the priest at the temple."

"Aye, go.  Can't stand looking at either of your faces."




"You surprise me, old man.  Taking Medusa out of the temple where she was to spend her days, cursed by the gods?"  He chuckled.

"What curse, woman?  And who is Medusa?  I am simply rescuing a maiden from the cruel hands of those who worship statues as though they were gods, and can't recognize statues carved by men, and men turned to stone."  She cocked her head slightly.  She hadn't pulled the hood up, and it fell completely off her head.  Snake-like bodies moved here and there.

"Maiden?  Its been a long time since anyone called me that.  Can't you see how ugly I am?"  He chuckled.

"My love, you know I can't see what you see, and for that, I am glad.  I see you as you really are, not the monster they pursue."  She passed her hand over his eyes and shook her head.  She grasped his hand and let the long coils of her tail wrap loosely about his feet.

"You really are blind, aren't you?"  He smiled.

"I don't know.  I made them see what I wanted them to see, and now you're free.  You may go where you wish to now."  She lowered her eyes sadly.

"And where shall someone like me go?  I would be shot at as soon as I tried to enter a city."  He smiled.

"I seem to remember that you were called the Huntress long ago.  There are many forests up north, passed the ruins of Troy, and far from the Greeks.  I think it would be nice to spend my days with the warm sun upon my face, and your pleasant company close by."  She smiled, and let him take her hand.

"It would be nice to see some trees for a change, instead of this depressing stone.  Do you know the way?"  He chuckled.

"My love, I may be blind, but I see much better then you."  And with no hand to her cheek to guide him, he kissed her and did not miss even a little bit.

As he guided her north, she put her fingers to her lips, then to her cheek to feel the rough skin of her scarring, and her curse.  Even the hair upon her head was tainted by the curse.  The strands were now thick, and moved like the bodies of serpents, but lacked the heads to show individual lives trapped and tied to her.

"Maybe one day, old man, I'll learn to see as well as you."