We'd been traveling since before the sun rose two days ago, the pink sky greeted us every day since, and beat down on us as we continued, only to sink again and envelop us in the cold at night while we camped. Maya and I both decided to walk through the towns, ask where we were, then leave quickly. To avoid the spies Cage had. When we asked, we made sure to cover our faces and talk to a child or a person in the farmland, for extra precaution. The Graeae were just a few more hours away, she had found a shortcut which had split the time to get there in half. It wasn't bad, I was used to this kind of walking and work, and wound up carrying most of the supplies while Maya took it easy. She had endured torture and a lifetime of being a servant in a huge palace, but nothing like long hikes in the wild. It wasn't easy for the poor girl. We were taking it easy today, because we were getting so close, the light brown dirt was turning to black, coarse, rocks. The air was growing hotter as we approached, it was nearly time.
"What do you think they'll be like?" Maya asked. She tied her hair up in a tight bun at the top of her head, her shoulders were pink with sun from pulling her sleeves on her dirtied dress up. Freedom wasn't a bad look for her, the God of Wine was a lucky guy.
"I've heard the stories and myths, but I've learned to take those with a grain of salt. It's not always what it seems." I said. From what I had been told there were three of them, they were all withered with wrinkled, ancient faces of grey and black, their eyes were all missing so they had to share one that hung off of a connective tissue woven with magic, their mouths were mostly gums, and they loved to play tricks on the unsuspecting, trying to murder or harm those who wandered too closely. If you weren't smart, you wouldn't survive, but Maya and I...I think we have a shot. In fact I know we do.
"I think the stories we've heard are true, people have come back to tell their stories of them right?" Maya shrugged.
"And yet we hear rumors about this Wanheda, but supposedly no one survives her." I countered. She shrugged again, but then considered it.
"You may have a point there." She said. We continued on the uneven ground, watching our step so we wouldn't slip. The air got heavier and humid as we marched on, making out clothes stick to us with sweat, my sandals rubbed uncomfortably on my calves and ankles, the pack seemed to gain weight with each step. Maya was panting with exhaustion, almost losing her footing. We approached a clearing, rimmed with black rocks that look like they had been melted on the ground, a circular wall of the stone lay in the center, a dim glow from a fire greeted us. I unsheath my sword and held the small shield closely.
"Stay behind me, and don't fall back." I warned her. Her now tanned face grew as pale as she was in Mount Weather, she gulped and followed like I had instructed. Hoarse murmuring and footsteps echoed as we got closer.
"Give me the eye we have company." One of the voices hissed. It sounded female, but coarse like sandpaper.
"No, no, give me the eye. It's a special visitor." A male voice snapped, it was deep and harsh.
"Very special indeed. You had it last time! Give it here!" The last one said, another female but she sounded like her vocal cords had been run over and dragged through gravel.
"Shhhh. Son of Marcus approaches." The sandpaper voice said. We entered a small opening and saw the Graeae. Their gray skin was practically melting off their bones, they wore black cloaks and chitons with obsidian necklaces and pins, all had himations over their long, white hair that frizzed out with monstrous curls. The stories had been true. The huddled together at the otherside, sitting close to the fire.
"Son of Marcus. You have come finally." The manly voice said, he held the eye in his gnarled, claw-like hand. I did my best to keep stone faced, showing no fear as we got closer.
"He's come for a prophecy no doubt." The hoarse voice whispered.
"No he's come for something else."
"Something else. Something else. Son of Marcus wants something else." One of them snickered.
"I was sent here by-"
"Cage Wallace of The Mountain Men. We know that scoundrel well. He's sent you to die has he not?" The one with the eye said. I nodded, Maya's grip tightened on my back. Her breathing intensified with each word spoken by the creatures.
"We shall tell you what you need. But first give her to us."
"Jasper's little plaything. We want her as tribute." Maya made a squeaking noise behind me, one of the Graeae rose from their position and snatched the eye, walking towards us. The other two followed and tried to grab at Maya who pushed herself off of me and scrambled to leave.
"Maya no!" I yelled. Using my shield, I thrust it forward hitting the one with the eye in the face, he stumbled back and dropped the thread that held the eye. It rolled towards the fire, the Graea scrambled blindly to grab it, Maya ran to it and picked it up before they even had a chance.
"You! Give us the eye slave." The sandpaper voice shrieked. Maya spit on the ground before them and gave me a look. I nodded at her, and walked to the opposite side of the fire. She threw it to me and I caught it with ease, the flames barely touched it.
"Son of Marcus." One of them whispered. I stiffened and held the eye closer to the fire.
"Tell me what I need to know about this Wanheda." I demanded. They huddled together hissing and grabbing onto one another as if in pain.
"Tell me!" I yelled. Maya moved around to me and handed me a small pin from her hair. It was sharp enough to do some damage. I held it up and held it before the pupil of the dried out eye. The grey skin surrounding it was just thin enough to make an easy prick into it. When I did they all screamed.
"You will kill us all!" One of them cried.
"Just tell him about the Gorgon!" Maya screamed. The male Graea disbanded himself and began to approach, holding his hand out.
"I can tell you but the price will be high." He said. I dug the pin in further. Their shrieks pierced my ears, but I pushed the pin deeper again.
"I have nothing. My family is dead. I have nothing to lose now tell me what I want to know!" I roared. Maya shrank behind me, scared of the power I had in my voice. The man stepped back and huddled with his fellow monsters, they whispered for a bit in their crushed voices. Debating on what to do. Maya rummaged around in her pack for something.
"They need a tribute, a sacrifice of some sorts. I stole some gold and jewels before we left." She whispered. Then she pulled out a small velvet sack, and emptied it out into her hands, blood rubies spilled out with pearls, gold bits, and silver.
"This should tide them over." She said before putting the items back into the pouch. I took it from her and held it in front of the eye. The Graeae stood up and held their greedy hands out, trying to grasp the treasures I held.
"You don't get this until I get what I came for." I snapped.
"Very well."
"She is powerful Son of Marcus, more than you know."
"She turns mortals to stone."
"She is cursed. You must kill her immediately. But do not look at her."
"No! Do not look her in the eyes Son of Marcus."
"If you do you will become stone. Like the girl."
"She is not all she seems." The man whispered.
"The Grey Ones have seen the Grey Ones know. Your fate has been altered."
"Where is she." I demanded. We knew she was a distance away, but we didn't know what to look for really. It had all been vague.
"Find the forest of the lost."
"The flowers and sorrow will guide you to her domain."
"A cave full of treasures, and a life not fully lived."
"I see something else Son of Marcus. Something bigger than you." Their words cut deep for some reason. A life not fully lived, much like mine, mine was ripped from my hands. Had it been ripped from this monster as well?
"Why did Luna murder my family but not me?" I asked suddenly. The grey man stepped back, as if my question had taken him aback. Their blank faces looked at each other, as if they could really see each other.
"We are not allowed to say. The Gods would smite us." The husk said to me. I pushed the needle back in.
"They were all I had. Now tell me."
"Lies son of Marcus. You have more than you think, there is hope there is always hope."
"She had to leave you, she didn't want your family."
"She mourns their loss. Look into the stars tonight and see how they are remembered."
"There is someone in your future. Someone to help you rise, to take down what is wrong. To right the world alongside you. I see gold, I see blue. A tortured soul who has seen terrors beyond your imagination. The darkness consumes them, but they accept what it is. They seek a better future, one only you can bring." I considered their words for a moment, taking it all in slowly. A tortured soul like mine, someone who has seen more wrongdoing, who could they be talking about?
"They can't lie. Their curse forbids it." Maya whispered. They were huddled close once again cowering because of their eye in my destructive hands. The velvet pouch grew heavy in my hands, I had gotten what I wanted. But was it worth the harm I had just caused? The pain and torture I had just inflicted, another piece of my soul was gone. I'd be condemned to roam Tartarus for the rest of my undead life. I approached the cowering Grey Family, and handed their eye back to them gently, then the pouch full of riches.
"Thank you." I said softly. Maya began to walk through the clearing in their circle, she was ready to leave just as we had gotten there, I slowly walked to the clearing, only glancing over my shoulder to see them cleaning off their eye, and trying to heal the damage I had done to heart ached seeing them like that, even cursed to be those hideous creatures, they were family. They looked out for each other, something my family had done, and I had just come in and almost broke them and for what? Answers for a mission I didn't want, only to be taken over by my own selfishness. Maya and I walked in silence until the heat and black rock faded into dirt and grass. Trees surrounded us on our path, shading us from the setting sun, shadows danced and played tricks on us as we continued on. Our sandals crunched against the gravel, nowhere seemed good enough to set up camp for the night so we just kept walking. Something rustled in the bushes as we headed towards certain death at the hands of Wanheda, Maya stopped in her tracks.
"Was that a nymph?" She whispered. I shook my head and grabbed the hilt of my sword tightly. We stayed in silence waiting for the sound again, when it didn't occur again, we brushed it off as an animal. A few minutes after walking from that spot, the bushes rustled again, and footsteps quickly shuffled against the dirt.
"Show yourself!" I shouted into the darkness, holding out my sword finally. Maya hid behind me, scared. A woman wearing plain clothes and a burlap himation over her head came out from the bushes, her long brown hair was in many complicated braids and her green eyes seemed to pierce through to your soul.
"You're the hunter that's going after the creature called Wanheda." She said. Something was off about her, something I couldn't place.
"What's to you?" I snapped. She laughed lightly and removed her himation, revealing even more complicated twists in her hair.
"Well I am Lexa."
"The Goddess?" I asked suspiciously. She pressed her lips together and nodded.
"Kill the Gorgon." She said simply. Maya glanced at her, and tilted her head in confusion. She was deep in thought, considering an option, or forming an opinion. She had a knack for getting all the information she needed by regarding someone even for just a moment. Lexa shifted uncomfortably under Maya's gaze.
"Take this shield, and sword. The Grey Ones told me you needed celestial bronze. Here it is. The monster deserves this." She said darkly. I accepted the weapons cautiously, her eyes were like fire, they burned with anger I had never witnessed in my life. I had seen evil, and sadness, but never this malice in anyone. She was insane.
"Do it. Or she will destroy us all." Lexa said. And with that she was gone. The sounds of the forest surrounded us like at the beginning of our journey, crickets played their song, wolves howled, birds ruffle their feathers, I could hear the creak nearby.
"Let's set up here for now." I said. Maya removed our blankets from the sack and set up our sleeping spots, I started a small fire.
"She's not a Goddess anymore." Maya whispered. Her brow was furrowed as she said it, the fire illuminated her face in oranges and yellows as she tried to piece together what had happened.
"How do you know?" I asked.
"She's lost the royal glow, all Gods and Goddesses have it, even to mortals. It's golden or white usually, but she doesn't have it anymore."
"I wonder...what could've happened."
"Betrayal." Maya whispered. She considered it for just a moment longer, before she decided to lay down on her blanket and go to bed. But I couldn't sleep even if I tried, there was a pit in the bottom of my stomach I couldn't shake, it sat there and festered. There was a quill and blank parchment in the satchel, I scribbled out a note to Maya explaining why I had to run off. Then i grabbed my stuff and ran until I couldn't anymore, the moon was high in the sky, lighting the path just right, almost like a guide to the den. I kept up my speed while walking, I had to reach this monster everyone feared so much. I had to honor Jaspers wishes, and bring this thing to the Graeae. After hours of walking, I bumped into something hard, I had to walk around it, the scent of flowers filled my nose, my mother's favorite stuck out the most as I breathed in the night air. The trees were getting wider, thicker, and hid statues all over. I glanced at one of them, someone paralyzed in fear, a wreath was wrapped around their neck, and in the tree, a name and date was carved by someone. A headstone for the dead, carved and maintained with care, there were no enchantments on the flowers, they were freshly picked and placed. It dawned on me that this must be the forest of sorrow and flowers, looking all around I noticed the countless statues, all with flowers, all with carved names and days. This monster kept records of her victims. Odd. The sun began to peak through the mountains as I headed towards the edge of the large forest, a meadow, wide, full of flowers of all colors, greeted me just as the beautiful pinks and purples of dawn rode through the sky. A mountain, deep blue in the morning light was on the other side, a hole in the side caught my eye, her lair. I sprinted towards it with my shield at the ready, I couldn't look at her directly so I figured if I walk in backwards with my shield using the reflection, it wouldn't have the same effect as looking her in the eyes. As I prepared myself, I heard a light snore coming from inside, she was asleep. Perfect. I walked in backwards, using my shield to navigate myself around items in the cave, a table lay in my way piled high with books, fabrics, and twine. Another table held dried and newly picked flowers, some wreaths both in progress and completed sit by waiting to be placed on their tombs. I glanced at my feet the floor got more cluttered with random things, a book, a shoe, clothes, baskets full of beads, nuts, fruits, even some bread. My stomach growled loudly as I chastised myself for not eating before I ran off. The small sleeping noises grew closer the deeper I headed into her den. It was almost like a normal home, like she was just any regular scholar, tapestries were hung all over like watchtowers, guarding treasures. The sleeping noises were finally coming into view, a girl on a cot was reflected in my shield, her peaceful features were not as grotesque as everyone said, she was a girl. Not more than eighteen, her nose was a little upturned, she had a small beauty mark above her heart shaped lips, her hair was wrapped with a white cloth.
"Why are people so afraid of you?" I whispered to myself. Her eyes shot open and she sat up quickly screaming. Her cloth fell off, revealing hundreds of snakes, all different sizes slithering and hissing at me. So that's why they're scared of her.
"Who are you!?" She yelled angrily.
"Are you Wanheda?" I asked, still looking at her in my shield.
"Depends. Are you here to kill me?"
"What if I was?"
"Then no."
"If I wasn't?"
"Then my name isn't Wanheda. It's Clarke."
"And what if it was a maybe?"
"Then I'm neither, and welcome to my graveyard. Now answer me. Who are you?" She snapped. Witty.
"My name is Bellamy, I was sent here by King Cage of Mount Weather-"
"I'll turn you and won't think twice. Your men have already tried to kill me one too many times." She glared. She stood up from her bed and walked towards me, her features dyed bronze in my shield.
"I'm not with them, I swear. Jasper told me to bring you to the Graeae. To find a remedy for your curse. Something is happening." I explained quickly. Her arms crossed her chest as she considered my words.
"Ha na ai get klin yu nou na frag ai op?" She asked, frowning.
"Because, I would've killed you by now." I replied. Her face fell from its frown, it dawned on her I was looking her in the eye, I wondered what color they were, they must be light considering they didn't appear dark in my shield.
"You are the only one who's been smart enough to use my reflection, I'll give you that." She remarked. I shrugged my shoulders because I knew using brute force wouldn't get me anywhere with her, using my brain would right now.
"You said Jasper told you to take me to the Graeae?" She asked, her arms fell from her chest. I nodded slowly. She took a deep breath, grabbed a satchel near her bed, rewrapped her head, and then put a beautifully decorated veil over her face.
"Then let's go."
