Empusa and the Odyssey

The Test

"Is Odysseus finally dead?" Hades yelled right in front of me.

"What are you doing in here? I'm sleeping Hades! How'd you get in my room?" I screamed back at him.

Hades throws me across the room with his powers. "Never yell at me again, you incompetent peasant. I am your master and you will do as I say. Can you understand that? Now, I ask the questions. Is Odysseus dead?"

"Sir, I have yet to-"

"You will kill him before I kill you! You are running out of time Empusa. Go get him. NOW!"

Then he was gone.

I need to go where I last saw him then. Where the Sirens live.

---

Another 37 days later, I know Odysseus is gone. I'm not sure I can kill him if he escaped Cyclops, Circe and now the Sirens.

My voyage has been difficult because of lack of food and sleep and the worry Hades is going to somehow pop up and kill me for not delivering Odysseus's head on a stick.

I get off my boat and right away see a Siren. I don't know how not to get killed by a Siren, but get done what I need to get done. I'll just wing it and go with my gut. I do what I do to survive.

I head off and slowly walk up the hill and try and hold my breath so the Siren doesn't hear.

"Um, hello, I'm-" I got cut off by the Siren swinging 3 of her legs at me.

"Wait! Wait! Please! I need information on Odysseus." I screamed over the wind that her swinging legs caused.

Then everything stopped. The Siren stopped swinging at me.

"Hello! You startled me. I am so very dearly sorry about that. What can I help you with? Odysseus I'm presuming?" The Siren asked gracefully.

"Yes. Thank you. I just need to know where he and his remaining men went."

"Well, Odysseus returned home finally after he escaped me. I'm not sure about his remaining men."

"Thank you so much! That's all I needed. I should get-"

"So soon, miss? Please stay. I'm sure you didn't travel all this way for those silly questions. But if you did, can't you just spare a couple of hours." The Siren cut me off. Though the Siren is very nice to me right now, how can I make sure she doesn't kill me? Do I just ask or will that make her suspicious?

"Are you going to respond, miss?" The Siren's voice echoed in my thoughts.

"Oh... yes. Of course. I'd love to stay for a couple of hours. If it isn't getting into your schedule of course." I responded sweetly, trying to ensure that I am on her good side. I know I'm usually rude, but I need to control myself to get this task done. I should have stayed when I saw Odysseus with the Siren. I could have ensured he was dead right then and there. But no. I assumed he would have died, so here I am. Weeks later, taking another go at his death.

As the Siren led me to her home, I jogged up behind trying to catch up with her long strides.

"Is there a name I could refer to you by? Or are you just known as a Siren? Do you guys have different names? I'm Empusa by the way."

"Well... Empusa, yes I have a name. I won't tell you it just for keeping, but you can refer to me as 'Tink'."

"And thank you for your time."

"I'm the one who wanted to chat so thank you, Empusa."

After that it was quiet. We walked up a large hill as I tried not to fall more behind Tink than I already was.

We soon finally arrived at her home. I walked in behind her and sat down at a table beside Tink.

"What do you know about Odysseus's journey? Why do you need the information? Why do you want him dead? I want all the information you have. Before you ask me questions, I need to know what you need with MY target. If you want out alive I want all of the truth. I didn't give you my name for a reason. I'm not scared of YOU. But I am intimidated by your 'master' Hades. Now talk before you get anything else from me."

I was startled by this. What can I even tell this woman? I know I can't trust her. But if I want to live, I better get to spilling.

"Why do you care?"

"Because I need to know. I need him dead. He came onto my land and destroyed my land."

"At least I need him dead for a better reason." I scoffed.

"Don't get smart with me. Answer my questions. I heard you've been snaking around trying to get to him. It's taken you months to track him."

"Well when I'm near him I won't let him out of sights."

Right as I finished she slapped me with one of her arms.

3 1/2 hours later...

"You awake yet. I hope I didn't the memory out of you. Next time you get smart you won't live to see the next day." I heard Tink from across the room. I knew she wouldn't be so nice once she got me secluded.

I sit up, dizzy and confused.

"You have one minute to start talking and relive what you know about Odysseus and why you want him so badly you have to be running around interrupting peoples' lives." Tink said, sounding more and more agitated by every word.

I guess I need to tell her so I can go.

"Well Hades wants him dead so he doesn't kill the evil gods. Like Hades. He just wants me to do his dirty work so ensures his little perfect wife doesn't run away again. Hades wants me to do it because we go way back, decades ago."

"Well there's the 'why' you want him dead so bad."

"I heard about his journey from Circe, my old friend, and I heard about him stabbing the Cyclops' eye out and going to see her and then you to try and get home to his wife. I know Circe ate his men alive. You trapped them at sea."

"How do you have all these connections? Do they all come from Circe?" Tink asked. I can tell she's more intrigued.

"Yes. Circe and I talked about what happened in detail. All from Odysseus's plan to escape the wrath of them and stabbing out one their eyes. Then them travelling to eat the lotus flowers and them getting high off of it. Then of how Circe ate his men but he went along with his journey. And finally after escaping your traps, he goes home. That's why I was here to see where he lives and what happened." I rushed through the main points, out of breath.

Before she responded I asked, "Why are you scared of Hades?"

"Well thank you for answering my questions, but anyways, he is the only god that can kill me. I know Zeus can, but he doesn't like to interfere unless it's one of HIS gods getting killed."

"Why would Hades kill you?"

"I know you don't know this, but Hades wants to be the only evil god or creature on the Earth. He will kill you once you've completed your tasks."

I didn't know what to say. And it's sad to say but I believe her. I wouldn't put it past Hades.

"Where is Odysseus?"

"You're still going after him even-"

"Where is Odysseus?" I screamed.

"The land of Ithica, but-" I cut her off by running out the door, knowing what to do now.