Athena watches from Olympus as Perseus and his group of warriors trench toward Medusa's lair. She paces back and forth, trying to decide how to handle this situation. He is on his way to kill a monster of her creation. Medusa is completely her fault. When she saved her all those years ago after Poseidon took advantage of her, she thought she would be grateful. She was being saved from any further advances from a male for the rest of her life. That was Athena's hubris getting in the way to assume that.
Medusa grew to hate Athena from that day on. She killed man after man until she hid away in her cave on the outskirt of any human dwellings. Athena thought that would be the end of that, but human men will always feel the need to show their masculinity to those around them. The stories of Medusa spread like wildfire after the first few men were found. Men encased in stone are hard to miss. As the body count began to rise to unavoidable numbers, the men began sending out groups in hopes of slaying the evil beast. So many parties went out and so many parties never came back.
Now Perseus is in pursuit of her head. Being the son of Zeus should have been validation to who he is, but as any mortal man he felt the need to prove himself to everyone. Everyone including their father.
She should turn her back. She should let him join the rest of the mortals who were intent on slaying the monster and never made it out of that cave. She should.
But she can't.
Medusa has killed enough. Athena did not change her into a gorgon in order to give her the blood thirsty need to kill all that venture to close to her. She needs to be stopped and since the Gods will not interfere directly, assisting a mortal is the best way to go. Perseus, being a demi-god, stands the best chance at survival. If someone were to slay the monster of her making, it'll be him. She just needs to find a way to get him the things he needs.
So she watches and she waits. When the group stops for camp about five miles from Medusa's lair. She waited for the mortals to fall into a deep slumber before traveling down to Earth. She woke Perseus and led him quietly away from the group.
"Who are you?" he questions when Athena comes to a stop in a clearing about a mile away from the camp. She turns and lets her true self show through. He takes several steps back as his eyes widen in shock. "Athena," he breathes as he slightly bows his head.
"I know what it is you seek, Perseus," she speaks, not wasting any time. Perseus's eyes lift to meet hers. She watches that mortal pride fill his gaze and she fights to urge to show just how low that pride can drag him. "I'm here to tell you that you will not succeed."
"I am the son of Zeus!" he exclaims, puffing his chest as if nothing could touch him because of that one sentence. If that sentence truly meant so much to him, he wouldn't feel the need to prove himself to anyone. Simply living with the blood of the King of the Gods would be enough.
"Do not for a second assume that you are more than what you truly are," she hisses as she takes several steps toward him. She towers over his mortal body, letting him see just how small he is next to a goddess from Olympus. "You may have the blood of our father flowing in your veins, but you are a mortal. Your need to prove yourself by bringing the head of the gorgon will result in your death."
Perseus eyes her, fear slowly filling his eyes.
"Why are you here then?" he whispers. "Are you trying to get me to turn back so I don't die?"
"No," she says firmly as she straightens her back further. "I'm here to give you the guidance you need to survive."
"Why would you help me if you think I'm nothing more than a prideful mortal?"
"Your death means nothing to me, Perseus, but Medusa needs to be stopped. She has killed enough," she vaguely explains. Perseus eyes her carefully but wisely keep his mouth shut. "Surely you have heard that all that have ventured to slay her have not returned. This is not because oof lack of skill, but because of lack of preparartion." She pauses and sighs as she glances in the direction of his journey. "As you are aware, it takes one look to turn someone to stone."
"I am aware of the stories, yes," he answers, irritation leaking into his tone.
"Then what do you plan to do to avoid that fate?" She watches him look around as if the answer will appear out of thin air. She rolls her eyes as her annoyance begins to grow. Mortals never think anything through. "How can you fight someone you can't look at?"
"I can keep my eyes on the ground," he answers, too much pride in his voice that it would succeed. "I can't be turned to stone if I don't look at her face."
"Foolish," she shakes her head. "You cannot fight what you cannot see. She is no mortal. She has a tail, you won't hear her footsteps. You won't know where to not look. There is only one way to stop her."
"What is it then?"
Athena materializes a shield and slowly hands it to him. She watches as he eyes his reflection in the surface before looking back at her. She watches as realization settles on his features when he finally catches on.
"The reflection," he mutters as he runs a hand over the smooth metal. "Will her powers not work through a reflection?" he questions. Athena stares at him blankly as he continues to talk. She wouldn't have given him this solution if it wouldn't have worked. "How will I protect my companions though? Will you have a give them shields as well?"
"No, I will not," she answers immediately. "You will have to go alone. If you are so worried about saving them and allowing them a chance to return home to their families, then you must go tonight."
"Go alone? I'll be vulnerable if I go on my own!"
Athena's gaze hardens. "I will not stand here and fluff your ego, Perseus," she hisses as she backs away. "I have given you what you need, and told you that you need to finish this journey alone to save your companions. I have no more for you."
Before he can say anything else, she turns and allows her body to shift into an owl. She flies away with a deafening screech. She allows the winds to carry her back home in hopes that Perseus does not become one of the many who are slayed by the beast. Her feet land on the solid ground of her room and she turns to watch as Perseus makes his way toward the cave.
"Always sticking your nose where it doesn't belong," Ares voice drifts from deep into the room. She rolls her eyes as she turns to face her brother. The harsh glare aimed her way does little to raise her anger. She learned long ago to not give in to Ares whims. "Why are you trying to save that mortal from Medusa? Let him turn to stone like the rest."
"I care not if the mortal lives," she replies as she turns her attention away from her brother. She hears the irritated huff as she turns her back on him and smirks. "I care only that Medusa is stopped. She has killed enough."
"She's only killed because, yet again, you stuck your nose where it doesn't belong," he sneers as he comes to a stop beside her. She glances over at him, watching as he crosses his arms over his chest, his eyes trained on Perseus as well. "Why not let her wreak havoc? Who cares what happens to the mortals?"
"Considering our existence truly does depend on the mortals, we should care what happens to them," she answers. "I did not turn her into what she is now for her to kill everyone in her sight."
"Maybe you shouldn't have turned her into something that is so lethal then."
"And maybe our uncle should have known better than to violate one of my priestess inside my own temple. He is just as much to blame for this as I am," she seethes at him. Poseidon gets away with everything because he is one of the big three. Athena hates it. If she were to be honest with herself, she hates him.
"You can hate him and you can blame him all you want, Athena," he whispers as he turns to leave the room. He stops at the door and turns back to her. "You were the one who decided to change her into what she is today. You created this destruction. Maybe it's time you learn to live with it."
Athena bristles as he leaves the room. She is well aware who is responsible for her killing, but none of this would have happend if Poseidon wouldn't have set everything in motion. She hates that he hides behind his title. She hates that everyone looks to her when Medusa slays again.
She turns her attention back to Earth as the sound of hissing fills her ears. She watches as Perseus uses the shield to guide his way, sword ready in his hand. Medusa moves around him, preparing to strike. She usually kills everyone by turning them to stone, but that is not the only thing lethal about her. She's as swift and deadly as any warrior down there. The difference is she doesn't care who she's killing.
Perseus watches her closely from the reflection, seeing her every move. Medusa strikes, but Persues closes his eyes and quickly turns, sword in his outstretched hand to strike. Wanting this to be over, Athena guides his sword to hit its mark. The metal meets the skin of her neck and slices true.
The screech fills her ears as the cut is made. Loud and full of hate and pain. Athena cringes away from the sound, fearing it will forever haunt her.
***
Ava jerks upright in bed as the sound of a screech echoes inside her head. The visual of the head being decapitated lingers. She shivers as she looks around the unfamialar room. Where the fuck is she? A hand reaches out and she jumps, almost falling off the bed in the process.
"Fuck," Garrett curses as he reaches to catch her. "Ava," he says as he pulls her into his hold. The scent of him surrounds her and she feels herself starting to relax. She's with him. She's safe. It was just another dream. "You okay, darlin'?"
"I'm fine," whispers as she settles deeper into his hold. He relaxes into the bed, sleep overtaking him again. Ava lays in his arms in silence. She waits for the sleep to come back, but she's unsurprised when it never happens. She presses herself further against him as she listens to the steady sound of breathing as he sleeps until the alarm for her to get up goes off.