We stopped in one of the smallest rooms I'd come across so far, yet unlike the rest of this place it felt homely. Brightly coloured rugs in different patterns covered the floor. A small fire burned in a fireplace to the left, making it warm with wall lamps spread out around the walls. The chairs she motioned us to sit in looked comfortable and lush, more like what I'd expect to find in my parents house than here. Blankets covered the side of it, with cushions woven in similar styles to the rugs making it appear even more inviting.

"Sit, please. Tea?" She offered.

Her clothing shimmered, altering to a beige colour and while her skin was still pale, it greyed slightly. The snakes on her head did the same, now mottled with streaks and patches of black. One of the blankets was pulled up over her shoulders as she curled herself up in the solo armchair. If a TV appeared and she flicked it on, I wouldn't have been surprised by this set up so far.

"You're actually Medusa." I found myself thinking out loud, sitting on the edge of the chair that I instantly wanted to sink back into.

"I am, child." Medusa smiled, turning her attention to Cain who stood beside me. "Sit, Fallen One. Relax."

"Unlikely." He answered curtly. "What do you want from us?"

"Shouldn't the question be, what do you want from me?" She had a point. "I apologise for my sisters. I assure you, they will not bother us again."

"This is, a lot." Again, my thoughts seemed to come out of my mouth before I could stop myself. "Cain, sit. Her whole thing is turning people to stone, and I don't think she wants to do that to us. Not yet anyway."

He raised an eyebrow in my direction before turning to Medusa. "Not done with your tricks?"

"Call me cautious," She smirked. "You only think and expect the worst. Your life is as sad as so many others. At least this one still holds hope that there is good in all, they haven't broken her yet."

"What am I missing?" I look to Cain for answers and with a sigh, he sits beside me.

"There are wards set up all over the place, mostly protection. I am assuming your vision of this place is very different to mine." He looked uncomfortable, glancing behind us at the chair. "My powers are still bound. Yours are not."

This was another test and I wondered what he was seeing. "Before we came in, you asked me to trust you. Now I am asking you, to trust me."

He wanted to protest. The grip of his hand on mine was near crushing and I didn't miss the way his jaw ticked as he clenched his teeth together. His eyes searched mine and I silently begged him to do as she asked; relax.

"Trust." Medusa laughed. "Isn't this a moment in time worth saving."

Looking at her now, the blanket shimmered into something resembling a flake of snake skin before becoming brightly coloured again. Looking at Cain now, the question was clear. What do you see?

He only gave a little shake of his head, as Medusa laughed again, causing us to look back to her.

"No more tricks, I am satisfied with what I see." She purred, yet her calm demeanour altered as Chrysaor came in holding a tray.

The jug and cups looked like they were made of mud; wet and sloppy yet somehow holding shape as he placed it beside his mother. He sat beside her chair, leaning towards her as they shared a moment which included her stroking his hair, from which she plucked a snake out and ate it in front of us. My stomach churned, her smile bloody as she looked back to us - almost as if she forgot we were there.

"Chrysaor is a good boy. His heart is pure. Forgive him, though I know you already have." She took a cup, filled it and then passed it to her son whose face was now wet with tears.

"He knew your sisters would try and eat me?" It took all my effort to remain and sound neutral.

I wanted to run, possibly throw up and then kill Cain for real this time, as it turns out I was gladly going to blame him for everything since he did bring us here in the first place. My willingness to go along with it doesn't matter as i had no true idea what I was getting myself in for and as Chrysaor now stroked Medusa's leg, nuzzling his face against it and the chair, this was reaching a whole new level of weird I was not willing to deal with.

"Don't take it personally, if he knew it was truly you, it never would have happened. My boy would not invoke the wrath of your lover willingly. It's not a clear sight that he has, he is no Seer." She frowned, blankly gazing towards the fire. "They have all lost their way. Gave in to the monster that's on the outside. We once protected our fellow sisters, gave refuge to those in need, sought vengeance against those who wronged us all. We did not try to eat them."

"We came to retrieve a new weapon for Elise." My lover interrupted Medusa's little moment of nostalgia; her nostrils flared as her eyes narrowed on him.

And people think I easily piss others off.

"Is that right?" Medusa did not sound like she was in a helping mood.

"It's fine. We were in the neighbourhood and it seemed like a good idea at the time and-" I start to ramble. I nudge Cain with my leg as I stand, taking this as our chance to get out. "This has all been great. Lovely meeting you all. We're just gonna go."

Cain looked at me like I was crazy, yet stood up anyway.

"Stay. I insist." Her order was clear.

I look at Cain and he gives a little shake; still no powers. The fact I had mine told me it had to still be part of her test, and if I did try anything I didn't doubt I'd be losing them again just as quickly so turning around, I smiled. Guess we were still playing your game, bitch.

"Only if you're sure. I'd hate to be a bother." We return to our seat and she sips whatever was in those cups, her amusement clear as she started to tap her foot.

Chrysaor leaves without a word and with an exaggerated sigh, she's suddenly up.

"A new weapon for Elise. We helped once before, why do you think you are worthy again?"

"I, um," I had no idea, only when I looked up at her, she wasn't looking at me.

Cain only glares back at her, and I can't see it ending well. He stands again, the pair squaring off against each other as her hair hisses and spits at him. It doesn't apepear to bother him, so was he attempting to call her bluff, completely stupid or just to egocentric to know which battles to pick. I also now understood why people didn't like it, when I did it.

Today was full of revelations.

"This is not about me. I did not come here for my own personal gain as I have in the past." He stated firmly. "Medusa of the Gorgons, the woman before you relinquished her title of not only God Killer, but also that of Queen. She placed the daughter of Hecate on her throne, gifting her Atum's blade, the undeserving deity Sobek-Ra's blade, in this process."

Medusa's lips curled as she bared fangs at the mention of Sobek-Ra, but Cain wasn't done.

"The creature himself gave his blessing and it was his great power that she has inherited for herself." He paused as Medusa glanced my way, her tongue flicking out as if that alone would tell her the truth of his words. "I bring her to you for a new companion and you must agree, a woman such as this requires something that is hers alone to possess."

Medusa slowly began to clap, and to be honest, after all of that I wanted to as well.

"I have lived for many years. Beyond my time, for many more and one thing that never changes  is why men are attracted to women of great power. They either seek to control it, destroy it or tame it." She snarled. "They lie. Take what they want by whatever means necessary. Cutting away our souls in the process until we left as shells of what we once were, or perhaps for the truly lucky, are killed by their hand or at their command."

"What are you-" I gasp as Cain is suddenly gone, the muttered voice of Chrysaor the only clue as to what happened and spinning around to Medusa, the first sign of using my powers had them gone just as quickly.

"I am doing you a favour. Men like that destroy women like you." She shrugged. "Love is for the weak, and stupid."

"You're wrong."

"Am I? Look at what you have given up and for what, to have your bed warmed at night? In nine months you will be alone and cursing the day he was born, regretting all I could offer you in exchange for one miserable life. The greatest weapon I can give you, girl, is yourself." She waves her hand towards the fire, and a doorway appears to the corridor we arrived from. In her other hand, a sword so similar to my old one is there. I can practically feel the weight of it in my hands. "This is what you came for. Take it, and leave."

I'm fairly certain she was serious, but it changed nothing. I wasn't about to just leave Cain.

"Who was it that hurt you this bad? I know you were cursed, but my knowledge on your history is a little lacking." I frowned. "Not all men are this way."

"I am being more than generous right now." She growled. "You are not a stupid girl, and I know you are seeing him now, proving the truth to my words. Leave while you can"

And I did see him.

Every argument with Apollo, the rules, the lies and secrets. How many times did he try to keep me away from the truth, from battle. I could see the look on Apollo's and all the important males in my life faces - Zane, Hades, Jordan, my Dad, when they found me on the beach. They all feared what I was capable of. They wanted to extinguish my power.

Control me.

Break me.

And then I saw Cain, fighting to save me; nearly destroying himself to bring me back. There were no rules. No fear. He passes me my sword and we run into battle together.

"Women are no better." I open my eyes and the earlier illusion is destroyed as the offer of freedom disappears. Bones, some still with decaying flesh and bits on, replace the sofa, the rugs merely piles of discarded snake skin that crunches with each step I take towards her. "You are no different to them. It doesn't matter what you say, or think. At this point, I wouldn't be surprised if we add three to this little party because I've heard it all before. Give him back to me, unharmed, now."

Her hair reacts to my threat, the snake heads bob and weave out of time to one another as they strike again and again. Medusa is more green now, sickly looking rather than the beauty of both earlier appearances.

"You have no powers-s-s here. I will destroy you!" She hisses. "Think carefully of your decision."

"Doesn't matter. I am more than them, and you will give him back."

"Why would I do that?"

"Because he's mine." That seems to hit a nerve, and I give a little shrug, deciding to really get her angry. "And I love him."

She launches towards me as expected, thankfully staying on two legs and not growing a tail. I dive towards the bone tail, grabbing what I think is a femur and swinging it around with all I've got. It doesn't disappoint, slamming into her skull with a sickening crack that has her screaming and staggering backwards. The snake hair gathers where I hit, and it doesn't stop her from coming at me again. Despite her human form, she fights like a snake, charging and striking as I manage to keep her back. She shreds my upper arm with her nails, the burning sting left making me wonder if her nails were filled with a similar venom as her fangs that seemed eager to bite me with.

"If he loves you as much as you think he does, then where is he?" She taunted, circling me again. "He'll be miles away by now. Free. Chrysaor let him go. Men will always save themselves, they come first. He left you here. A life for a life and he chose his. Too bad you were not smart enough to do the same."

"If I had a dollar for everytime you were just talking shit, I'd have enough to get myself something really nice from Rumpels by now." I mistimed my hit and felt the fangs of the snake a second later.

Fuck.

If she was telling the truth, Cain better be getting my snakes and Kara with a small army here pronto to kill this bitch and her sisters. Hopefully a few vials of antivenom too because if this was happening and I was screwed, I would be gladly haunting his ass for this.

"You're starting to realise I am right." Medusa smiled, I tried to remember some first aid training and tearing from fabric from my pants, attempted to tie it around my arm while preventing her from doing it again.

"No, sorry, thats my will you just shut the fuck up face. I liked you so much better when you only existed in my greek mythology book that one of those, controlling asshole males got me. You have given him so much ammunition against me now by the way, so thanks. I can already hear him." I see two of her before they merge back into one; they both looked confused. "Elise, I told you to read it. You never listen to me. Gonna break your spirit with non-stop nagging now! Or worse, just get those Fate fuckers in on the action. They're gonna love hearing about this."

I back up, hitting a wall as Medusa again splits into two, then three.

"Are you going to turn me into stone now?"

"That only happens to those I think are a threat." She answers.

"Way to kill my ego." The wall feels warm, familiar. It's getting noisy, but I can't quite hear the words. Maybe I am turning to stone.

I should strike a pose.

Make it memorable.

Medusa is back in front of me, and looking into her bloodshot eyes, I can't think of what to stand like for when I'm a statue. So I just look at her, as everything is getting foggy, but there's a smell, different to her stench I can't quite place.

"My poison is making you numb, and sleepy. Then you will be completely at my mercy. Do you still think your beloved is going to save you?" Her voice is sweeter now, and I realise she's right.

I am numb.

I can't feel my nose.

"I can save myself." I spit at her, literally, as I think I may actually be drooling right now. "He knows it, but he will come back anyway to kick your ass once I am done with it."

I can feel the poison in my system. My arms go numb next, my legs follow yet something new is chasing right on after it all; a familiar rush of tingles that forces my eyes open and then my arms are wrapped around his neck as a million apologies for everything is being whispered into my ear.

"Congratulations." Medusa sang from behind Cain. "You've both passed the test, and I know exactly what you need, Elise of the Bunting Clan."

"A bottle of whisky and a promise to never come here again?" I glare at Cain.

"I'll get you two bottles, and if you don't lose, break or give this thing away, we won't have to."

"Yeah, you're going to need to tone down that attitude or I'm going to use whatever she gives me on you first. Love be damned."

Medusa clapped her hands and the room vanished. Instead it looked like we were in the area we'd first come in by but I had a feeling the way to freedom wasn't quite so close. As if nothing had just happened, she chatted away about Chrysaor's collecting hobby and how hard he worked to gather their most prized possessions like a proud mother talking about her son finishing his law degree and getting a job in the big city.

Only, this was actually nothing like that.

I froze at the maze of statues we found ourselves walking through. The eyes seemed to move, watching, begging for our attention. There was one in the centre that seemed more powerful than the others, and despite being hidden away in the middle, it felt like he was the one on display.

"Is this him?" I asked Medusa as she stopped beside me.

"Man is the most common monster in all the lands, and he hides in plain sight. He will take your kindness, your heart and all that is good, and destroy you with it. He will tame your wild with words whispered by the moon, train you to stay beneath him. That fire inside you will be extinguished, and your worth will disappear within the smoke until nothing remains." She looked over to where Cain had stopped, and put a hand to her throat. "This was Perseus. He would never fight to save me, or see the woman I once was, not the beast they made me. I had loved before, and was abandoned. I fell in love again, and he killed me when I slept. Chrysaor returned my head to my body. My sisters saved me. Too bad none would save him."

Medusa kept walking, and I looked up at the man she kept on a pedestal, glad she got her vengeance.

"You okay?" Cain asked softly.

"This is like, not what I expected. At all."

"You and me both."

"All these men. I can't imagine how her life, their lives have been."

"Athena was one of the worst. She was extremely spiteful in her youth, Hera raised her so what do you expect? Thankfully she's not so bad these days." He sighed.

"What's she got to do with it?"

"She's the one who cursed them. Didn't you know that?"

"Obviously not. We can get her to undo it then!"

"What will be will be and what is, is what it is." Medusa called.

We kept walking and seeing a foot in a specimen jar, I stopped again. Eyeballs and various other body parts filled the shelf.

"That's Achilles Heel." Chrysaor pointed to the foot I'd first seen. "Was so hard to acquire."

"Tell me that isn't the eye of the Graeae." Cain sounded a little too excited.

Chrysaor snorted, mumbling something before looking guilty as he glanced my way. "Wicked women them three. In some families, water is thicker than blood. No other can wield their sight, so we add it to our collection. Fear not, you will never appear in their visions as while we can see in, they can not see out."

"I can think of a few more I'd like that to apply to." I look at the eye curiously as it just sat in the middle of the container, and then noticed others, this time in pairs.

"I had an interest in Seers for a time." Chrysaor explained, standing closer to me. Instantly I stepped away, yet saw three empty jars among his collection. "Only those remain, forever evading me. Perhaps one day I will be able to obtain all that I seek."

I felt cold, and looking again at his collection I had to fight to keep my mouth shut at how wrong and disgusting this all was. Chrysaor leaned towards me, his eyes narrowing with suspicion as a snake coiled around his neck and across his shoulder.

"Do you eyes hold any secrets, little girl? What visions are you cursed with?" He whispered, as the snake went down his arm. "I can take them away."

"Touch me, and I won't hesitate to kill you." I warn, stepping back to keep some distance between us. "I'm not a Seer."

"Perhaps not, but I feel like you would be good bait to find one." He licked his lips, as the snake as it slid across the table I'd been standing beside. "Maybe two."

We both jumped as a dagger crashed into the table, staking the snake who did not see that coming. Its body twitched before going limp as Chrysaor hissed at Cain who now stood between us. He fumbled to release the dagger, to reclaim his dead companion.

"You know the rules, regarding my Seer." Cain warned.

"Your Seer," He snarled. "She was Artemis first, and you killed her! Sent that vile creature to claim a treasure she was not worthy to possess-s-s!"

Cain shrugged, and turning around took me with him as we didn't stop again, following Medusa more closely. Behind us Chrysaor was literally wailing after the dead creature and I looked back in time to see him consume it. Lucky me.

We soon stopped at a smaller door, and cutting her palm with her nail, she let the blood pour over the handle before opening it. She motioned us inside and we both stopped as we did.

"Never mind the mess, Chrysaor is hopeless at cleaning up when he is feeling creative." She waved to one corner where a hole in the floor burned red.

Various tools lined the walls, and the weapons on the small table beside it all, were mangled and deformed. Various metals littered the floor, yet behind all of that was a cabinet that definitely put Rumpels to shame.

"He made those?" I ask, actually impressed. The snake design on the hilt of one of the swords instantly got my attention, yet Cain nudged my arm and turning around, I took in the rest of the room. "Wow."

It would put any armoury to shame.

Hundreds of breast plates lined one wall, helmets another. All kinds of armour, some still covered in the glory and doom of their last battle, surrounded us and beyond that, more weapons than my brain could even begin to comprehend. The cavern curved and Medusa stopped before a wall of swords, some so big I didn't even want to know who had once wielded them.

"You appreciate my collection." Medusa smiled, glancing up at the wall before us, yet on a small rocky ledge beside me, the metal box there caught my attention. "It's been centuries in the making, and don't touch that."

I didn't even realise I was about to. "What is that?"

"Pandora's Box." She sighed, looking down at it. "Such a waste."

"What?" I look between her and Cain - who appeared speechless, not like he was in on the joke. "You're kidding."

"No, Elise. I am not." She shivered, her hair moving to gather over her shoulder as it looked like they were trying to get away from it. "They created such a thing of beauty,Pandora never stood a chance."

"We are not in Kansas anymore, Toto." I mumble, shaking my head as we move with Medusa.

"Am I Toto in that analogy?" Cain frowns, thinking that over.

I laugh, and I'm not sure if I am going to be able to stop as the whole situation, location and insane things around us really sink in. I'm going crazy. This is a dream, and I'm going to wake up at the Academy after a really, really, really big night and wonder if I should really cut back on the drinking while spending the day with my toilet.

I wait.

I pinch myself.

Nothing happens.

"Are you alright?" Medusa and Cain stare at me with the same look of concern and I dismiss them both, taking a few deep breaths.

"Elle?" Cain asks.

"Sparkle, sparkle." I sigh, wiping my eyes and focusing again on my breathing. "It's all fine. I'm fine."

"I'll give you two a moment. What I want, isn't here." Medusa leaves us and I look around again at the war cemetery we're in.

"Elle." Cain says more firmly.

"It's been a day. Surely even all of this is overwhelming to you too, just a bit."

"It has. I should have prepared you better."

"How? I'm guessing you expected a little visit, with minor drama, a slightly uncomfortable amount of crazy with your old pal, son of the actual Medusa, and we'd be on our way with my shiny new toy. Not, well-" I wave my hands around us. "This."

"The Gorgons have never made themselves known before, in any shape or form. And certainly not Medusa herself!" For a second, I caught a glimpse of how shaken even he was, yet he hid it so much better than me. "I truly feel the worst of it is over."

He pulls me closer and places a little kiss on my forehead, and I feel myself relaxing ever so slightly. "Just so long as we don't open Pandora's Box?"

Cain tenses, looking over towards where the object sits. "Don't even consider touching it."

"Party pooper. I was just going to have a closer look."

"I can't even tell if you're serious." I wasn't, only maybe a little bit and I gave a shrug. "Elise."

"What! I'm kidding." Looking around, there was just too much in here. Only then I saw something else, on another small ledge surrounded by ruby encrusted daggers, gloves and helmet. It was a matching set, yet this thing wasn't a part of that. "Do you know what that is?"

I let him go, wandering over to the amulet. Or at least I think that's what it is until I realise there's no chain or attachment for it. It was the size of my hand, and looked like it could have been a wheel as it was thicker than I expected it to be as I stood in front of it. It was gold, but dirty; I didn't think gold rusted by the way it looked like bits had flaked away; it had clearly had a hard life.

"I have no idea, just, don't touch it." Cain warned, coming over to look.

"Can you read that writing?" I squinted trying to decipher it, as there was something oddly familiar about it I couldn't place.

"I don't think that was writing, it's more symbols," He smirked, looking rather proud of himself. "It's a compass of sorts. North, East, South, West. The elements are between those along that line. South and North nodes in the centre and I believe that is the zodiac around the very edge. "

"Doesn't seem like something that belongs in here?"

"Your youth betrays you, both of you if you do not know what this is, Fallen One," Medusa teased, startling both of us as she just appeared out of nowhere. "I dare you to touch it, girl."

The look Cain gave me told me exactly what he thought of that idea, but I couldn't resist. I'd nearly been eaten and poisoned today, couldn't really get any worse than that and as my finger touched the metal, the ruby armour set around it came to life. The ghost within the shell stood to attention in front of us and just as Cain went to pull me back from its raised blade, the formation bowed and stood aside.

Medusa looked thoughtful, tapping her finger against her chin as I took my chances and picked it up. The other side was also engraved, the black lines even more worn with age. It was heavier than I expected, and I held it with both hands as whatever power it contained connected with my own. The rush that came made me gasp, and as I watched the metal began to glow. I felt the dip in the curve, wondering what it had fitted into or what had been wrapped around it. The answer was so close, I felt the words on the tip of my tongue yet they never came.

"I wondered if it would respond to you."

"What is it?" I whispered, looking again at the curvy pattern of lines that surrounded the same triple moon symbol I had on my wrist.

And then it stopped. The power left me and I nearly dropped it as the weight became too much to hold. Cain took it, running his finger across the lines as he stared down at it.

"It's a Wheel of Fortune. It is merely an object of legend, Portia spoke of it in the beginning of our time together. Apollo had been seeking it for himself, during a feud with Artemis and she wanted us to find it to be able to reverse my banishment. We spent years searching, as did any who heard of the rumours of its power." He flipped it over, inspecting the symbols yet the bulk of his interest was on the more basic side. "We gave up. There was no genuine proof it existed, or reason to believe there had ever been a time when there were more than the three. This was the tool of the Fourth."

"The Fates? You're saying there were four of them?" My stomach sunk.

"No, well, I never would have only now, this changes everything." He turned to Medusa. "Do you know who it belonged to?"

"Does it really matter?"

"Yes!" He shouted.

The armour sprung to life, snatching it with ease from Cain's hands and setting it back on it's pedestal, the pieces returning to their display as if nothing had ever happened.

"It has been here longer than any of us have lived. I presume if there ever had been a fourth, she is long since dead, her fate even more cursed than the third for her existence has never been recorded." She looked at me pointedly. "My sisters and I came to these caverns as I too have felt the pain of exile and this became our refuge. Years later I happened upon this very space. Remnants of a skeleton, adorned in the finest armour greeted me, the wheel tucked safely within it."

"That's really all you know?" Cain asked in disbelief, looking like he was now on the verge of his own breakdown. "There is nothing more you can tell us?"

"I wish there were." Medusa suddenly clapped her hands and Crysaor came shuffling in, a long silver case in his hands. "My boy, you serve me well. Bring it here."

The case was put in front of her and as he let go, it floated mid-air as if on an invisible table. She unlocked it, her face lighting up as she looked over whatever was inside.

"You okay?" I ask Cain, his gaze blank as he stared at the disc. "Cain?"

"This could change everything for us." I wasn't sure if he was talking to me, or himself.

"Elise, come." Medusa ordered, and reluctantly I left his side. "You came today for a weapon to call your own. Anything in here you could wield efficiently, from the greatest of blades to the smallest of treasures."

As if to prove a point she adjusted one of the jewelled rings on her fingers and Chrysaor was not having a good day as she threw her first at the side of his face. The crunch was sickening and it earned Cain's attention as he came over, while Chrysaor howled in pain.

"Even the prettiest of creations can be deadly in the right circumstances." I didn't miss the double meaning of her words as her eyes roamed all over me. "We have to be, or they will destroy us."

Chrysaor held his face, blood covering his fingers as he curled into a ball against the wall and not for the first time today, I pitied him. He was weird, this whole thing was but that was just cruel and unnecessary.

"Heal him, please." I asked Cain, who glanced briefly at Medusa before going to him.

"He heals on his own." She snapped.

"He's still your son. Show a little kindness, that wasn't necessary and-" I argue back, stopping as she shakes her head.

"You do not know what you speak. I forgive you this time."

Medusa flexed her hands, and I was unable to stop myself from staring. It wasn't because of the jewels she wore or the way she was making a point at reopening the silver case. Her fingers had no nails; they were disfigured at the ends as if they'd worn away or been cut down to various knuckles. My own suddenly tingled, as I thought back to those marks in the wall and on the floor we'd passed coming in. When I looked back to her face, I knew she knew what I was thinking.

She hadn't come here willingly.

"Medusa, I-"

"Hush child!" Medusa snapped, silencing me. "I do not need your pity, none of us do. It is what it is and all is as it should be. Fate has no time for fools and heed your warnings well for one day they will only seek vengeance."

That got my attention. "Are you working with them?"

"With who?"

"The Fates."

She scoffed at that. "I am about to give you a gift and you insult me so?"

"I'm not sure I want it." Cain groans. "No really, she taunts us with the possibility of a fourth and-"

"You think I am doing their work? That I would submit to the desires of the witches that allowed this to happen to me?" Clearly I just struck a nerve. "I warn you as I have been you. I was admired for my beauty once, worshipped even. I was a toy. Mortal. A piece of flesh in a pretty skin. I was special. Different. Marked for greatness, they said and I believed them. I was not feared. I was not respected. When I became this, everyone knew my name, it all changed. No longer was I a pawn in their games. I earnt my freedom. Will you earn yours?"

The weight of her question landed on my shoulders, and I chose to ignore it.

A sword suddenly appeared between us, and she ran one of her stumpy fingers over the blade. It was rosegold, copper in colour, and I felt it. That pull, that connection I'd been missing.

"It calls to you, doesn't it?"

I nod. "It's beautiful."

It was more than that.

The edge turned to yellow and lifting it, the weight was missing. The hilt vibrated in my hand and the smooth, hard substance it was made of was pearlescent.

"What is this?" I inspected it closer, the swirl of colours changing as I moved it in the light.

"Unicorn horn."

"No!"

"I watched Hecate shape it, while Athena crafted the blade." She smiled at the memory. "The horn carries through the centre of the blade. It is unbreakable. Poseidon finished it in Atlantis in secrecy. Zeus would never have allowed its creation for that reason. It was made to absorb his lightning, and once charged, be able to destroy him. I hear you have already done that though."

"This is unreal." I moved freely with it, feeling as though it was molding itself into my hand. I stopped, looking at the markings again, and seeing the disc at the join of the blade, pulled it slightly so that it opened. "What is this for?"

"Life."

She pulled one of her snakes out of her head, laying it still. I tried not to flinch as she cut it open to remove the heart which she then put inside. Closing the cover, she licked her fingers clean.

"Try it now."

The second I picked it up back up, I nearly dropped it as there was an unmissable pulse within the sword that hadn't been there before.

"You found what you came for, child. Now you may go."

"But- I- this sword isn't. This isn't what I was expecting." I felt numb, undeserving yet the only way I would be giving this thing up was if it was being pried from my cold dead hands.

Everything in here had belonged to someone else at one point or another. It was what they did, collected great treasures. So who had this once belonged to? There were a lot of big names mentioned that went into the making of it, but why?

"Who had they made this for? How did you get it?" I sounded giddy, and I felt it too, unable to take my eyes off the sword.

"I never wanted it. The horn has always cut at my hands. I was pregnant when the first gladiator came. I had no real defense yet. This was a new body, a changing body, and my sisters saved me. They pitied me. I was to have a weapon to defend myself with. I threw it away, time and time again. I found my own power. I developed new talents. I could never destroy or throw it away. It always came back and now I know why." I was even more shocked when she hugged me. "Let it remind you of me and of your own wild woman that no Fate, or man, can tame or own. Use it to protect yourself and your own."

"I can't accept this." I whisper.

"It is done, Elise of the Bunting Clan."

In the blink of an eye we were back in the corridor, with the stench of our waiting freedom beside us. Cain shivered, looking around cautiously and then smiled as he took it in.

"It suits you."

"I think it will do just fine." I agree. "As great as it is though, let's go. This has been something else and I don't think I can handle any more surprises or revelations right now."

"Agreed. Still better than Rumpels though, just so we're clear?" He asks as he takes my hand, still cautious as I don't think either of us believed we could just leave after that.

"Way better than Rumpels," I hesitate before going back into the jungle, not looking forward to being recovered in dead snake goo. "Just, maybe a bit of a heads up next time you want to plan something like this again."

"Of course." Yet his gaze drifted back down towards the caves.

"Cain?"

"The Wheel. It could buy us our freedom." He sighed. "At least we know it exists now."

"We'll work something out."

"I know." He didn't sound like he believed that, and the weight of everything found me again. "Let's go before they change their minds and decide your worth keeping."

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So its the same, but different this time around... hope you don't mind the recycled chapters. I gave them a little upgrade :) What do you think so far of Medusa 2.0?