Medusa: Fate's Game

Chapter 9

~~Otrera~~

They weren't stupid. Well, not completely. Under the guise of night and the magical mist of Charon's ship — one of Charon's own fucking ships — they sailed to the coast many miles from the city. They needed the cloak of night, but also the protection of the forest and mountains, to scout the area with any degree of safety. Andromeda was a sorceress, a mighty one; they weren't going to underestimate her just because Otrera and Perseus's trap had failed.

It had been a bad trap, Otrera thought to herself as she jumped from the smaller vessel onto the beach. Perseus had probably expected her to die in the fight, and for him to emerge victorious, alone, covered in the blood of his enemies. Not for any dislike of her, but just for the fun of the violence and the glory of the story it'd create.

Psychopath.

Not that Darian was much better. Better, sure, but not much. Every so often, she found herself glancing at the man, and when they made eye contact, she caught the flicker of hesitation there. A moment's worry. He knew he was different, and he wasn't happy about it. That was a step up from Perseus at least.

Nighttime in a foreign land. It was the typical karst landscape but more extreme: cliffs, flat rock, forests, bush, and tiny rivers. But, with only stars and moonlight to see by, the unknown land, vast as it was, made her nervous. She shivered, rubbed her arms where her armor left them exposed at the bicep, and stepped further out from the group.

Chimera was right behind her. "I do not smell much in this land. There should be... more. I can smell birds, and deer, snakes, other creatures, but not in the quantity I should."

In the past several weeks of fucking the giant every night, she'd forgotten he was a beast. A real, live animal, with a nose for hunting things that he'd kill with his bare hands, and eat raw, bloody. Kind of like a hunting dog, but she didn't say it.

"So something's scaring the nearby animals away?" she said.

"Yes." He squatted down next to her, and she leaned against his arm when he did. Too much? He quirked a brow at her, and she quirked one right back.

"What?"

He shrugged, smiled, and looked back over his shoulder.

Gallea finished playing his tune, and as quietly as they'd came, the massive, mist-hidden ship melted away into the sea. Not a sound, not even the creek of deck and wood. Good chance Andromeda didn't know they were coming with that ship taking them places. Hopefully.

Medusa was dressed in nothing but her wrappings, but considering what the creature could transform into, that was probably for the best. And besides, the serpent had her bow, and she had the makings of a great archer. Darian was beside her, dressed in the black and silver hoplite armor that reeked of mission-from-Olympus design. But, she'd have worn something like that too, if someone had given it to her.

If Ares had given it to her.

She gritted her teeth until it hurt, and pushed off Chimera to start walking again. Get out of your head, Otrera. Stop thinking about all the stupid shit, before you brood yourself into the ground. Start doing.

"Alright, so, plan?" she said.

Darian came up to her, stabbed his spear's grip into the ground, and pointed his free hand toward the road. The road was old, thin, and along its sides the mountains curved and the forests broke with enormous boulders. It was a rough landscape, and to get to Aethiopia would require either walking the road, scaling the horrible cliffs and tight forests, or finding a path through the mess of rock that went on and on.

"I didn't expect this landscape. Good hiding, but a pain in the ass. We should see about finding a place we can hide that's closer to the city, while also scouting the area for unknowns." He pointed to one of the cliffs, and the flat face of rock it carried. "Let's meet at this cliff's base when the sun is over our heads. Chimera, you're with me."