A/N: Hi everyone! This fic is my entry for Resbang (which you can find out more about via the links I have posted on my profile.) I will also have links up soon for the art that goes with this story, in case any of you want to check it out :) Lastly, it should be noted that I switch from one POV to another but said POV changes are marked with a line break. I think that's it! Happy reading!

Lunar

The Archeron River flowed quietly, hardly making a sound as a cloaked figure paused at its edge.

A smirk played on Medusa's lips as she removed the hood from her head. She bent down, her fingers grazing the surface of the river.

She studied the droplets on her head, murmuring words under her breath. The water in her hand glowed briefly but a brighter glow emanating from the river caught Medusa's eye.

"Finally," she hissed in victory.

Pulling her hood back on, she cast her hand over the river, chanting at the same time. The river glowed a blinding white. Then the water receded, revealing a hidden stairway that led so far down that the end was shrouded in darkness.

Confidently, Medusa made her way down the path in the dark, never missing a step. The stairway stretched far down into the earth, seemingly going on forever.

To both her left and right, the water of the Archeron River enclosed Medusa, like a moving tunnel.

Medusa felt a twitch from the snake tattoo on her arm. "Shh, Apophis," she crooned comfortingly. "Not too long now."

Finally the stairway ended, opening to a pair of ornate double doors. Archaic runes were etched upon the archway of the doors.

Medusa laid her hand on the doors. She laughed openly. "I would think the entrance to the Underworld would be much more guarded than this."

Her fingers glided down where the door handles should be. She felt nothing but smooth rock.

She removed her hand from the doors and stroked the black snake tattoo on her arm. "Come alive, my pet."

Apophis writhed to life, peeling off of Medusa's skin. He shook his head as his body dropped from Medusa's arm, opening his mouth in a huge yawn.

As he pulled himself free of Medusa's body, he grew to an enormous size, black scales covering his entire body.

Medusa rubbed his head. "Open the door."

Apophis hissed and opened his jaws, bone-white fangs extending from the roof of its mouth. With a loud crunch, he snapped the doors in two.

They collapsed on the ground with a crash, sending clouds of dust into the air.

Medusa stepped neatly over the wrecked entrance, her golden eyes seeing easily through the dust.

A menacing growl rent the air.

"Ah," Medusa smiled, pausing. "The fool does have some backbone, then."

She snapped her fingers, catching her snake's attention. "Take care of it."

The snake slithered rapidly into the Underworld's entrance, melding into the darkness.

Medusa waited.

There was a sharp bark, followed by another that cut off suddenly. Apophis hissed lowly as he made his way back to her.

The rubble cleared. Just up ahead lay a massive three-headed dog, semi-unconscious. One of its heads moved fitfully as Medusa stepped into the Underworld but it did not rise.

Medusa looked around. The tunnel opened up to large cavern, cold and gloomy. At the opposite end of the cavern was another river.

"The River Styx." Medusa walked toward it. A lonely boat bobbed up and down on the surface.

She glanced around, looking for its owner. If she could trust her sister, she should be distracting its owner right now.

No one came.

Satisfied, Medusa called over Apophis with a wave of her hand, gazing at the river's suface. She was tempted to stick her hand in the water.

Instead she turned to Apophis. "You will go on your own from here," she told the snake. "Arachne will bring him to you and you will lead him through the tunnels to the meadows below Mount Olympus."

From her sleeve, she pulled out a ribbon. Medusa held it out to Apophis' face, letting him get a good whiff of the scent.

She continued. "Kill the girl who owned this. Understand?"

Apophis flicked his tongue once and turned tail, preparing to enter the river.

Medusa smiled as she carefully recited the spell that would protect Apophis as well as the curse that would make the poor girl Medusa had chosen the source of Apophis' blood thirst.

When Medusa finished, she nodded at Apophis. "Go."

Apophis slithered into the river, barely leaving a ripple in his wake.

Medusa stretched, feeling the effect of using so much magic in one night. She had spent years looking for the Underworld's entrance in the Archeron River and even longer finding the spells to open it. It would have been longer if she hadn't had some help.

But it had been worth it.

With this, not only was the first phase of her plan was in action but with the Styx's magical properties, she made the ultimate invulnerable weapon.

Medusa turned to leave. Now time to deal with her dear sister.

In distance, beyond boundaries of the city of Larissa, was a mountain that reached into the skies, covered in forest. The mortals saw its magnificent height and assumed it was Mount Olympus.

And for once, they were right. Not that they knew it. They had never sent anyone to check.

Fools. Medusa studied the mortals celebrating in their town fair from atop of a hill she had carefully chosen. They pranced happily around, stupidly wide smiles on their faces.

Naïve and yet so happy, Medusa thought. The snakes in her hair rattled with her displeasure.

"Disgusting," she breathed.

She felt a poisonous presence behind her. Ah, there was her darling sister. "What took you so long, Arachne?" she sighed, not taking her eyes off the mortals.

Medusa could hear the smirk in her sister's voice. "Brooding over your hatred for the mortals again?"

"More like thinking how I will have each and every one of those pathetic mortals bow to me before they look me in the eyes."

"Murder this early in the morning? Little sister, you do have your priorities."

Although her face betrayed no emotion, one of the snakes in her hair hissed vehemently at Arachne, staring beadily at her.

Arachne came into view, her black hair knotted up in an elegant bun. "Oh, sister, please. You know your precious snakes have no effect on a fellow Gorgon. And without that, I think you'd know who would win in a fight."

Medusa ignored her. "You're going to send him the message?"

Arachne smirked. "I played the damsel-in-distress long enough for you to plant your precious snake in the Styx, didn't? Just leave it to me. He'll be there. And then your precious snake can do its work."

Nodding in satisfaction, Medusa said, "Excellent. The girl will be there, just as the stars foretold it."

"It's fortunate the stars are so talkative to you, sister." Arachne turned to leave.

Medusa smiled. "Her death will start a war so devastating that even Olympus will fall."

"And we will be there to reap the rewards," Arachne murmured contentedly.

Medusa's expression didn't change as she nodded in agreement. "I certainly couldn't do this without you, Arachne."

But I could certainly rule without you, Medusa thought. Sorry, my sister.

Beyond the hill, the mortals danced, unaware of the disaster to come.