Called Upon

Chapter 21

     The old man's determination and motive were evident in the unwavering gaze that bled from his eyes as he walked down the path to the temple of Medusa. With each step he took, the sky above him began to darken, the once beautiful blue now obscured by heavy clouds. The sounds of thunder crackled through the air, but the old man did not waver in his mission.

The first drops of rain began to fall, a gentle drizzle that soon turned into a relentless downpour. But still, the old man pressed on, the rain beating against his tired body. His clothes clung to him, soaked through, but he did not falter.

As his gait became heavy through the rain-soaked ground, he noticed something strange. The earth beneath him started to crumble and shake, rocks and stones vibrating with an unsettling energy.

The rainwater on the ground diffused unstable ripples, the once solid surface now wavering with uncertainty. The old man stood his ground, unflinching, until suddenly the ground erupted. A hideous creature emerged from the earth, breaking it apart with its monstrous presence. The ground shook, and a surface area revealed a shimmering pool of lava beneath.

Chains were wrapped tightly around the creature, its reptilian scales sparkling in the dim light. And attached to those chains were two people, his family. His wife and son, or so he believed. The creature grinned, its face deformed into a grotesque visage of malice and satisfaction.

The creature's voice echoed through the air, its words dripping with malevolence. It offered the old man a choice - he could save one of them, but only one. The other would be sacrificed, left to the mercy of the creature's chains.

       "Your wife and son, who will you save. Select the one that you most crave. Look through their eyes and choose wisely," the creature said mercilessly.

The old man's heart twisted with anguish as he realized the weight of the decision that laid before him.

Both his wife and son pleaded, begging him to choose them. Desperate to be saved, they shared memories of their time together, trying to sway his decision. The old man stood there, torn between the two people he loved most in the world. He searched for a way to make this impossible choice, desperately trying to find a solution.

Suddenly, the creature's words echoed in his mind - "Look through their eyes and choose wisely." It was then that the old man had an epiphany. He looked at the creature and spoke with unwavering resolve. "Life is a mirror, it falls on me," he said.

With those words, the old man's family disappeared. The chains that bound them vanished, and the creature retreated back into the ground from whence it came. The rain ceased, as if it had never fallen, and the gap in the ground closed up, erasing all signs of its presence. The old man, confident in his achievement, resumed his journey to the temple of Medusa.

He walked with a renewed vigor, his determination unwavering. The path ahead may be treacherous, but he knew that he had faced and overcome a great challenge. The rain-soaked ground beneath his feet no longer crumbled, but supported him steadfastly. The sky above cleared, revealing a beautiful and serene blue once more.

As the old man continued walking towards his destination, he couldn't help but reflect on the choice he had made. He knew that life was filled with difficult decisions and challenges. But he had learned that sometimes, looking within oneself and embracing the mirror that life presented could lead to unexpected and empowering solutions.

And so, with this newfound wisdom, the old man carried on with his mission to the temple of Medusa. The determination that bled from his eyes now shone even more brightly, guiding him through whatever obstacles laid ahead.