26. The Nest [1]
Lonian stopped when they reached an expansive spread of perfectly levelled grass.
"Once we breach those trees and enter the forest—" he nodded at the border of trees about half a mile ahead "—stay alert and hold your.
.." he trailed off as he eyed her bow. "Be ready to unsheathe your sword at any moment. You understand how to infuse aether?"
"Pretty much." Though Medusa had not practised since the trial, she understood the concept. "I thought there was no danger in the green zone. Why the sword?"
Lonian released a soft laugh as he strolled ahead, his large frame shielding Medusa from the morning sun. "This is Tartarus. Best be on your toes if you love living."
"Running into beasts in these parts is rare," Lonian said as they shuffled through the thigh-length grass, "but if they do appear, it's usually the much weaker ones. So don't worry too much."
Judging from the trees' distance and their current pace, it should take them about fifteen minutes to reach the main forest. Medusa's grip awkwardly tightened around the hilt of her sword.
She was not a sword person; daggers, on the other hand, were better—no.
She shook her head. Daggers reminded her too much of her time as a priestess.
Six minutes? Your faith in me warms my heart.
Clotho chuckled. But I'm serious. Why do you think creating pockets is one of the first things an awakened learns?
Medusa thought about it and shrugged. I don't know.
Her parents allowed her next to no lessons on awakened blood-carriers, but she knew the basics.
They could hide objects in nothing, they were sturdier than the average mortal, they had markings at their backs and, chief of all, the really exceptional ones could ascend to become low deities. Every awakened's ultimate desire.
Mild excitement kicked up Medusa's heart rate as she considered Clotho's words. The Moirai had earlier mentioned how dimensions could hold living things...hmmm.
For a moment, Medusa considered using the skill to get Rico back, but common sense immediately squashed the ridiculous thought. Demeter may have taken Rico along for her trip, and even if she hadn't, Medusa was still too weak to take such a risk.
Releasing a sigh, she asked, where do we start?
How is that a clear direction? Medusa yelled on her inside. I thought I was learning how to create and destroy dimensions, not catching insects.
Okay. Focus. Medusa continued tracking the butterfly as it circled Lonian and fluttered some inches from her face.
Now that she thought about it, when she manifested the eye of petrification in her first life, she didn't need to touch a person for them to turn to stone.
So the theory that some form of contact was necessary to manipulate an object with aether had to be false. Or maybe I'm just the weird one.
"We'll gather only fruits," Lonian said. "The prey in the green zone are strangely good at avoiding both humans and traps."
"I see." The hunter in Medusa itched to take on the challenge, but she suppressed the urge.
Maybe if she stared at the butterfly long enough. As if the insect heard her thought, its flight became more erratic, and it moved unnaturally faster than a regular butterfly. Her eyes tracked it as it zapped this way and that, hoping she could sense something to latch on to.
Even though Clotho remained quiet in the background, Medusa felt the crushing pressure of her expectations. A tenth of a horai had since passed.
Okay. Focus on aether and air. The divide also. What's a divide!
Medusa's brow knitted in confused frustration, then it loosened when she noticed something. She peered closer just to be sure, and she was right. I can see lines. The butterfly wasn't just flying, it was also using aether and air to assist its movement.
Instinctively, Medusa reached for the squiggly lines marking the butterfly's flight path. It felt like tugging something fragile. The butterfly reacted, jerking at an unnatural angle. Someone may think it was its normal movement, but Medusa had observed it long enough to tell she had caused it.
Medusa frowned again. The goal was to understand the rule behind what should be instinctual.
Maybe if she thought of it like being submerged in a pool holding more oil than water, and focusing on what separated both elements.
As Medusa strained her senses some more, she felt the space that forced both elements to remain apart.
The understanding was so instant and easy that Medusa immediately acted on it. Stretching an arm in the direction the butterfly fluttered, her fingers twitched as she pulled at aether. The line that followed the butterfly swiftly untangled, fused to the tip of her index finger and grew taunt.
Medusa grinned so big, her cheeks hurt. I caught it! Are you seeing this? The butterfly fluttered in place, straining to be free.
Medusa's mind swam with myriad possibilities as the line pulled the butterfly along like a tiny kite.
Could she use this on a person? How much focus and control would that take?
And to create a dimension, she had to...
The next step is to expand the divide and cover the butterfly, right?
Air shifted next to Medusa's ear as something buzzed past.
"Uff!" She staggered back, using aether to catch her fall when she crashed into Lonian. Why did he stop?
"What's the matter?"
Instead of answering, Lonian hunkered down, his focus fixed on the ground.
Walking around the large boy, Medusa grimaced when she saw it.
The carcass of a three-horned wild goat; she could tell because only its head and feet remained.
What was weirder was the state of the feet; they were chewed up to the ankle but upright.
Medusa sighed. Her earlier instinct to be cautious was correct. A beast was about, and an odd one at that. There were no flies or blood around the carcass, and it appeared dried out by the sun. She sniffed. No smell of decay either.
"I don't know what I'm looking at." Lonian stood and glanced around with a puzzled frown on his face. Medusa did the same. Nothing appeared amiss. She also noticed they were much closer to the trees. A three-minute walk should get them into the main forest.
Lonian's broad sword appeared in his grip after he flicked his wrist. "It's best we—" He suddenly stopped speaking at the same moment his weapon slipped from his grip.
Something was off. Heart dropping to the pit of her belly, Medusa tentatively reached for him. "Lonian?"
His hands were shaking. "The bees," he choked out.
"Bees? What bees?" What's he saying? This was unexpected behaviour. Lonian didn't seem like the kind of person who'd be easily frightened by bees.
"Hey!" Medusa yelled at Lonian. "We need to leave." She looked ahead and still couldn't see the beast, but the buzzing sound was getting louder.
She grabbed Lonian's hand only to notice something. Red patches. Her hands flew to her mouth when she looked at his face. The patches spread across his neck at an alarming speed, and within a blink, his face was covered. But he just stood there, sweaty-faced, wide-eyed and body trembling.
"What's happening?" Medusa asked in a raw panic. Why wouldn't he move?
Medusa released Lonian's arm, ready to leave. He should be fine since he's awakened.
Clotho said nothing.
Medusa stumbled to a stop. He would be fine, right?
A rustling sound ahead snatched Medusa's attention. What's that? Eyes wide, her gaze roamed the shadows beyond the tree line. Why can't I see anything?
Medusa tuned out Clotho's voice. She was one of them after all. A mortal's life must be nothing in her sight.
Whirling to face Lonian, Medusa applied aether and struck his face. Not even a twitch. "YOU WILL DIE IF WE DON'T LEAVE," she shouted. "SNAP OUT OF IT, DAMN IT!"
Staggering back, Medusa rushed forward with even more aether pushing at her feet and body-slammed him.
Futile. It was like crashing into a mountain. Shock overshadowed the pain of collision as Medusa fell to the ground, groaning in the daze.
Heart hammering in her ears, she hugged her aching arm to her chest and swayed to her feet. She looked from Lonian's now placid face to the trees. The shadows moved. Something large took its time as it approached.
Tears stung Medusa's eyes. Do I really have to leave him?
Medusa followed Clotho's instruction and nearly sobbed in relief when her fingers touched the band. Springing to her feet, she dived for Lonian's hand and slid the band in place, barely noticing how it automatically adjusted to the size of his hand.
The sound of a huff was accompanied by loud buzzing. Medusa didn't want to look, but her body moved. When she saw it, she stumbled away and crashed into Lonian's stiff form. He fell like a log.
A bear-like thing with a large jagged rock growing from its back, clouded eyes, curved glistening claws and... and bee hives. Medusa counted about four clumps fused to its body.
It shook its body like a wet dog, sending a cloud of bees and spurts of what resembled honey scattering.
It seemed like confirming that she was indeed stung was what triggered the symptoms and throbbing pain. There was a bright red spot on the back of her left thumb. A wave of heat started from her feet and travelled up, her throat began to itch, and there was something else—something worse.
Clotho sighed. I was hoping your deity blood would nullify the symptoms. Give me a moment, child. I will get help.
Before Medusa could give a reply, the link vanished and she was left alone with a now unconscious Lonian.
The sound of a grunt drew her attention back to the beast. It blinked milky eyes, raised its wet snout and sniffed the air before turning in Medusa's direction and lumbering over on all fours.
Medusa bit her lips and resisted the maddening urge to scream for Clotho to hurry.
The worst part was that the numb feeling was steadily crawling up her legs.
Her mind flashed to the goat they found earlier and her panicking mind connected the horrifying dots.
This thing probably ate its prey as it stood frozen in place.
Don't panic, Medusa. Do not panic. What are your options? It seemed the bees were deadly but merciful. Only one stung her so far. The bear appeared blind and slow, taking its time with its approach, almost as if it knew the bees had immobilised its prey.
No way I'm your prey.
Focus fixed on the beast, Medusa deftly nocked her arrow as she tried not to focus on the feeling of numbness reaching her knees or her throbbing thumb.
Its eyes were the best target. If she could manipulate aether and air to maintain the arrow's connection to her, similar to how the butterfly used both elements to move. Maybe...
Exhaling, Medusa released the arrow and watched it neatly sail for her target. The path was clear; no way she'd miss—
In an unbelievable burst of swift movement, the beast caught the arrow between its teeth and easily snapped it in half with a powerful bite, aether and all.
Oh no.
There was a shift in the air, a pulsing sensation starting where the bear stood and spreading to her location.
Enraged, it roared, exposing long vicious fangs and strings of drool.
As if in answer, even more bees poured out of the hives.
They gathered in a tight buzzing mass and spun like a top before shooting at her.
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Is Clotho a terrible mentor?
Anyway, I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Don't forget to vote and comment.
For those following Worst Cupid Ever, I am actively working on the chapters so we can wrap that story up neatly. Apologies for going AWOL on it. I adore that story and wouldn't want to write subpar chapters just to mark it as complete.
Until next Saturday. Muah??