Ichigo had no idea how long he had been stuck on this mountain with his mother Io, and guarded by Argus. The red head's days were not unpleasant; he regaled his mother with tales of his life so far, told her about Grimmjow and how they met. Io was pleased her son had not only found someone to love but that it was true love. Ichigo had grown into a wonderful man and she couldn't be happier to be reunited with him, but she could tell that he longed to get away, that he longed to be reunited with his love. Io held on to the hope that Grimmjow would find his way to the mountain and save Ichigo, she could live the rest of her life happily on this mountain knowing that her son was safe and happy with the man he loved.

Grimmjow was stumped. He had no idea how to separate Medusa's head from her body. One look in her eyes and he would be spending the rest of his days decorating her cave front. Why did every quest take place in a cave? The shepherd sighed as he looked over at Hermes who was sat opposite him in the quiet inn they had taken refuge in. A nice change from sitting on rocks or sand.

"So… run me through this again. I'm having trouble here…."

Hermes sighed. This was the third time!

"Medusa is the last remaining Gorgon sister, she was cursed by Athena and now any male she looks at in the eye turns to stone. Once you're stone that's it. There is no way to turn you back …."

"So basically, I have to sneak in, find her in her cave, and cut off her head. All without looking her in the eye?"

"Basically, yes. Might I add that Medusa has the body of a snake from the hips down and is near silent when she moves." Hermes added.

"Marvelous" sighed the bluenette.

Grimmjow pulled out his map "now where do we find her?"

"She resides in the caves over here"

Hermes pointed at caves at the edge of the earth near the entrance of Tartarus. The shepherd sighed again.

"Great. Tartarus. Just where I've always wanted to go…. So. How do we get there?"

"We sail. Three days following the brightest star in the sky, just before the entrance of Tartarus is an island covered in caves and mountains, and that is where the last Gorgon resides."

The shepherd downed his drink and rose from his seat. "Ok. Let's do this."

The pair made their way to the nearest docks where Grimmjow "persuaded" the captain to let them borrow the medium sail boat. The closer they got to Gorgon island the bigger the knot in the bluenette's stomach got, he was incredibly nervous and trying hard not to let it show. Fortunately, the knot in Grimmjow's stomach was only figurative, whereas the knot in Hermes' stomach was literal and he was leaning over the side of the boat throwing up.

"So you fly with magic shoes, but you can't do boats?" Grimmjow laughed

"Shut up." Hermes grumbled as he sat on the deck wiping his mouth.

Three days passed faster than Grimmjow would have liked and before he knew it they were washing up on the shore of Gorgon island. The two decided to make camp and come up with a plan and go up against Medusa after some sleep in the morning. The plan was this: Hermes would stay out of sight and Grimmjow would attempt hand to hand combat with his eyes closed… it wasn't a very good plan, but it was more of a plan than they had upon reaching the cursed island. Hermes, however, had a better idea. Yes, he would stay out of sight as per the original plan but Grimmjow would attempt hand to hand combat whilst watching Medusa's reflection in the front of his shield. Hopefully managing to avoid looking at her much smaller eyes. This, Grimmjow agreed was a much better plan than he had come up with, so the two Demi gods took shifts to sleep and watch over the camp whilst steeling themselves for tomorrow's battle.

Hermes was on the last watch before dawn Grimmjow needed his rest, today was not going to be an easy battle. After an age, the sun started to rise on Gorgon island and Hermes sighed deeply it was time to wake the shepherd turned warrior. Grimmjow woke quickly with minimal fuss. While Grimmjow adjusted to the new day Hermes foraged nearby for fruits and berries to accompany the fish he had caught just before dawn for breakfast. The Demi Gods ate in silence, the weight of what Grimmjow had to do truly weighing on him. As soon as they had finished the men made their way to the centre of the island where Medusa's cave lay.

It was not a pretty sight, when they finally arrived. Stone statues littered the caves entrance with more leading inside. The bluenette took a deep breath and made his way inside the dimly lit cave. The bluenette was suddenly overly aware of his heartbeat, his breaths and his footsteps on the stone ground, he really hoped that they weren't as loud as he thought they were. The path Grimmjow and Hermes took was the only one in and out of the cave and eventually led into a huge opening the two stopped in awe as the sight registered. The cavern was full of pieces of temple ruins, pillars and broken statues of the gods were strewn everywhere. The whole place was a multi-story ruin jammed inside a cave. What really gave Grimmjow the shivers were the bones. Not just human bones but animal bones hung from random bits of ruin as well as lay broken on the floor.

Grimmjow held up his shield looking in the reflection for Medusa while Hermes found somewhere to hide. Having found a safe place Hermes grabbed the shield of a fallen soldier to watch as Grimmjow's battle began to unfold… Heart hammering against his rib cage Grimmjow walked cautiously while calling out to Medusa.

"Medusa! Show yourself!"

There was no reply. No sound, nothing. Nothing except the feeling of eyes burning in to him.

"I know you're here Gorgon! I can feel your eyes on me."

Still no reply for an achingly long amount of time when suddenly from frighteningly close to him came a hissed reply.

"Prepare to join the rest of your kind as a cave decoration worthless human"

Grimmjow spun on the spot still watching his shield but there was no one there.

"Grimmjow! ABOVE YOU!"

Hermes yelled and it took every ounce of strength he had not to look with his eyes but instead into his shield as he ran out of Medusa's reach as she slithered across a fallen pillar which had formed a bridge with another broken piece of temple.

Unfazed by her miss she disappeared into the ruins once again only to appear silently behind Grimmjow giving him no chance to react before hitting him in the back with her serpentine tail sending him crashing into the cave wall. Grimmjow groaned and dropped his sword to clutch his shoulder, luckily it wasn't dislocated but boy did it hurt! Medusa was on him in a second, swinging her tail sending Grimmjow flying once again.

"I know what you want human… you want my head. I will not allow it. You will end up like every other pathetic soldier that has come before you. Stone in my cave."

Medusa hissed as she made her way to Grimmjow she picked him up by the throat and began to squeeze the life out of him.

"All you have to do is open your eyes and all this pain will be over in a second."

"N-never!" Grimmjow choked, struggling to breathe.

"Then die here!" Medusa screamed.

Grimmjow could hear the multiple hissing of the snakes that was Medusa's hair right in his ears, could feel Medusa's breath on his face, the tightening of her ridiculously strong hand around his throat when suddenly all the pressure disappeared and a piercing scream filled the air. Grimmjow was dropped to the floor and scrambled for his shield so he could finally open his eyes. Looking in the shields reflection he saw Medusa slithering away with a large bone sticking out of her tail. Hermes stood there in shock starting at his shield as the Gorgon retreated.

"I stabbed her…. With a thigh bone…" Hermes muttered as he looked over to where Grimmjow sat on the floor.

"I thought for sure she was going to kill me…"

Their short moment of victory was interrupted by a bloody thigh bone landing a short distance away from Hermes.

"That will be the only blow you land on me"

Medusa screamed as she came out of hiding, grabbing Grimmjow and knocking Hermes with her free hand. She pinned Grimmjow once again who had his eyes closed tightly.

"You're not good enough to become stone! I will tear you to shreds, pathetic human!"

Pain exploded in Grimmjow's abdomen. Medusa had punched into him with her sharp claws. Grimmjow wailed in pain. This was the worst pain he had ever felt. Hermes suddenly had an idea. Grimmjow was still holding onto his shield!

"Grimmjow your shield!"

Medusa turned to look at Hermes at his sudden shout.

"Don't worry little mouse, I won't forget to have my way with you too… just wait your turn"

Hearing a noise from Grimmjow Medusa turned and was greeted with her own reflection, she dropped Grimmjow and screamed as she began to turn to stone. Hermes quickly grabbed a nearby sword running up behind the Gorgon and cutting off her head before it could turn to stone and wrapping it in a flag he found on the floor. It took Hermes a few moments to notice that Grimmjow was lying on the floor, not moving, in a pool of his own blood…

Meanwhile on Io's mountain, Ichigo screamed in agony and collapsed next to his mother.

"Ichi what's wrong? What happened?"

Beads of sweat had already begun to appear on Ichigo's brow..

"I-its Grimm… s-something's wrong…." Ichigo stuttered before falling into unconsciousness.