The Myth Of Clardusa

The Arrival Of The Demigod

The eerie and petrifying visages of terrified individuals stood frozen in time, encircling the ancient temple. Emerging from the temple's depths, the gorgon Clardusa, cloaked in a veil of shadow, ventured to survey the faces of the unwelcome intruders. Countless had sought to end her life, only to meet the same stony fate as those who preceded them. Upon reaching out to touch one of the statues, she recognized the likeness of a woman from the nearby village. This villager had arrived with a blade, seeking vengeance for her husband's transformation into stone. The frozen countenance of the statue conveyed the unyielding fury of its former living form.

She hears a noise in the distance of the wind and quickly hides behind one of the pillars. After hearing someone land, the sound of footsteps walking toward the noise stops as the invisible person becomes visible. He hears faint breathing coming from the pillar where Clardusa is hiding. He holds his blade behind the pillar around her neck with the pointy part on her cheek, causing small blood to come out from her cheek. As the blood falls into a puddle with a drop, her eye sees his reflection in the water below her, but it is small enough so he can't see her, but she gets a good look at him.

The individual was wearing a distinctive ensemble of mythical items. They donned the helm of darkness, a gift from Gaydes, and the harpe sword made of Adamantine, bestowed by Reus. Their winged sandals were a treasure from Julimes, while the mirror shield was a divine offering from the goddess Anithena. Lastly, the Hesperides gave them the kibisis, a special sack for carrying objects. Considering their possession of these extraordinary items, one might surmise that this person is a demigod. Furthermore, it seems likely that they had located Anithea's residence and may have been sent by her to carry out a sinister task, possibly involving the gruesome act of decapitation.

She needs to think fast. Trying to attack him head-on would most likely result in her death. He asked who she was, not knowing she was the Gorgon he sought. The Gorgon calls herself Minerva and asks for his name, to which he replies, "Perball." He tells her he's looking for Gorgon Clardusa, who is in this domain, and then asks why she is not turned to stone like the others. Minerva tells him that she recently arrived at the forest before him, and the Gorgon usually naps inside the temple at this hour.

After a brief pause, he expresses his gratitude for the information and instructs her to depart the woods, which she readily acquiesces. Perball then stealthily makes his way to the temple, utilizing his winged shoes to move silently and turning himself invisible as he enters. Taking advantage of his absence, Clardusa ascends to her temple by taking flight.

As she gently rests her head on the excellent, ancient stone, she strains to hear the faint echoes reverberating from the temple's depths. To conceal her presence, she artfully positions a decoy version of herself in the dimly lit interior, expertly crafted to mimic her form. Through this clever subterfuge, Perball would be convinced that he has stumbled upon the slumbering Gorgon, complete with convincing, pig-like snoring sounds.

Using the mirror to guide him, Perball got close to Clardusa's body, and then, with one fell swoop, he beheaded the "gorgon" with his blade. Perball put the head in the sack as he left the temple. After hearing the noise, Clardusa let out a sigh of relief. She could hear the rhythmic flapping of wings as Perball, the troublemaking pixie, flew away from her home. When she was finally confident that the coast was clear, Clardusa called out to the two hidden creatures. Emerging from their hiding spots were two remarkable creatures.

The first was a magnificent winged horse named Pegasus, its presence exuding grace and majesty. The second was a tiny, peculiar winged piglet named Chrysaor, its appearance contrasting sharply with that of Pegasus. Notably, Chrysaor carried a gleaming golden sword strapped to its back, an unexpected sight given its diminutive size. The two are Posiwin's twin sons. Clardusa gave birth to them a few years ago from her mouth. At first, they repulsed her because she was the sea god's kin. They were immune to being turned to stone. Eventually, she got used to them as they kept her company and prevented her from going insane.

Chrysaor approached his mother with concern as he noticed a small amount of blood on her face. He gently hugged her and licked the blood, worried about her well-being. Clardusa reassured him, and even Pegasus, the gentle creature, nuzzled the Gorgon, also showing his concern. With a smile, she comforted them, letting them know that everything was alright and no harm would come to her. In return, she embraced her sons, expressing gratitude for their care.

Perball, still in the forest, was alerted by Anithena, who appeared before him. She told him that he had failed to kill the Gorgon. Perball denied this and then pulled out the head as proof to her, only for her to point out that the head was a fake.

He quickly turned his head to discover that it was nothing but a clever trick. The false head was a stuffed imitation, filled with fur and slithering snakes that viciously bit his hand, forcing him to release it. Filled with fury, he plotted his next move to confront the Gorgon again, realizing that this formidable creature was not as easily defeated as he had initially presumed.