Lost In Battle

3

I knew I couldn't run all the way back to the valley. At least not without resting. I couldn't even fathom how the centaur had done it but then again, he was a mythical creature and I was an eighteen-year-old who skipped most of his gym classes. 

With my last bit of strength I made my way towards a small cavern. It wasn't ideal but I could hide there until I came up with a plan. By the time night had fallen I realized it was futile. If there was any way to get back home without Zeus' help they wouldn't have let me run away.

I didn't know what this quest was about, but I didn't want any part in it. Why did the Gods even insist on me going? I couldn't fight, I wasn't brave, I didn't have any special powers. The chance of me surviving whatever was going on was basically non-existing. 

"I figured you might be cold." I jumped at the sudden voice. There in the dark opening of the cave stood Hera, a torch in one hand, a thick wool blanket in the other.

"How did you know I was here?" I asked as I cautiously took the blanket.

"We all know you're here." 

"Then why not drag me back? Why let me hide?"

"I asked them to give you a bit of time, and to let me talk to you." I was quiet for a while, not really knowing what to say. 

"Why me?" I finally responded. "Why do you need me? I mean, you're these all-powerful beings, yet you need a kid to fix your problems?" 

"Have you ever wondered why you like myths and history so much?" 

"Oh I don't know, maybe because people have things that interest them? What does this even have to do with anything?" I knew better than to be sarcastic towards a Goddess but she didn't seem to mind. Instead an amused twinkle lit up her eyes. 

"Tell me, do you know the hero Jason?" 

Of course I knew who he was. I'd read the myth countless times. As the story goes, Jason and the argonauts were 50 of Greece's most powerful warriors who'd set out on a quest to obtain the golden fleece. When they arrived in Colchis, half of them wanted to acquire it by force, but the others weren't convinced. For one, there was no certainty that their power would be superior. Yes, they were the greatest warriors, but there were only 50 of them. Secondly, the fleece was guarded by a dragon that never slept. And lastly, Jason had been advised to trust in the Goddess Aphrodite. Though he didn't know what that meant, he decided to play it safe.

Jason traveled to the city Aia, where king Aeetes awaited him. Beside him stood the beautiful princess Medea, who had joined her father out of curiosity.

When Jason told them his wish, the king laughed in his face. The fleece was way too precious to just give away, so he agreed, but only if Jason could fulfill three impossible tasks. First, he needed to secure the bronze, fire-breathing bull to a plough. Next, he had to dig over Ares' field and sow the dragon teeth Aeetes had been gifted. From those teeth, warriors would emerge, whom he had to defeat as his final task.

On his own, Jason couldn't do it but to his great surprise, the princess Medea had instantly fallen in love with him and gave him a potion that would help him overmaster the bull. Without much trouble he made it to the third task. When the warriors emerged, Jason simply grabbed a rock and threw it in their midst. As they started to blame each other, fighting broke out. Jason waited until only a few of them were left and then defeated them with ease.

But the king had never intended to keep his promise and once again refused to give up the fleece. Angry at her father's dishonesty, Medea lead Jason and a small group of argonauts to Ares' cave, where she trickled a few drops of a powerful sleeping potion into the dragon's eye. Jason grabbed the fleece and together with the princess, they all escaped on the Argo.