Zelus (Perseus Reimagined) (BXB)

Chapter 44

"Try as you might, Medusa hides amongst the mightiest of knights. Venture to the cave if you dare, but be warned of the other sisters that await you there."

???

IF I KNOW MY HISTORY—which I don't—it took nearly a week to reach the cave of the Graeae, but we arrived a day earlier, thanks to the winged sandals Hermes provided. Perseus could fly, and the time had been friendly to us.

However, the journey wasn't exactly the best. Once you step out of the city, there is nothing for miles away. It's like you're trapped on an endless path. Your eyes dry to the vast sea of sand, never knowing where you should go or when to stop. The scourging sun had drained the waters out of our bodies. Eventually, we ran out of food supplies, and our energy was in critical condition. I knew I was seeing a mirage when an order of big mac with a side of fries sat before me. My mouth watered at the sight of it; I could smell the patty and feel the crispy edges of the fries. The scrumptious meal turned out to be sitting over quicksand, and I would have nearly drowned if it weren't for Perseus. Since then, my wings have carried me, regardless of how tired I am.

On the second night, we arrived by the coastline, where we found an abandoned raft floating by the shores. The woods of it were in bad condition as they were disintegrating. Crustations clung onto the bottom, and seagulls guarded the sails, which were just moldy pieces of cloth. Perseus hopped on and picked up two oars, handing me one.

I caught it. The slimy texture of it made my skin crawl.

"We'll use these," he said.

The raft could withstand our weight, but I chose to stay in the air.

Perseus had no objections as he started rowing toward Cisthene, the island of the Graeae.

The day turned to night, and my wings had given up on me. I rest on the raft, trying to keep my eyes open, but the rocking motion of the raft felt like a mother's cradle to her child. My eyes eventually gave in, which was the last thing I remembered. Fortunately, maybe the Gods have been watching over us as we found ourselves by the shores of the right island before dawn.

I woke up to see Perseus next to me, and before us was the sizzling sound and mouth-watering smell of fish. He made a fireplace and cooked some fish he caught over a flat stone. I don't usually like fish, but now, they taste amazing, and I sucked the bones clean, leaving no flesh behind.

...

After replenishing our energy, we continued heading toward the cave and eventually arrived. A firelight springs out of my palm, taking the lead and lighting the path into the unknown. The cave is dark, dreary, and dry. The air was thick with humidity, and the scent of dark magic was overwhelming.

"You're getting used to your powers," Perseus interrupts the silence.

"I guess I am," I said.

"What changed you?"

"I had a wake-up call."

...

"We were expecting you."

A raspy voice echoes throughout the cave, and we stop before a flight of stairs. Over a hundred steps, it led to the Untold Fate. Dark magic used by the Graeae to cut the thread of life of any living being.