Chapter 2

Memories and Mourning

A month ago…

"Come back here, you witch!" a man called after Stheno as she backed away.

This man had been one of the many that came to the Shapeless Ilse over the years. He was one of the individuals that came to "claim" Euryale and/or Stheno, rather than one who came to fight Medusa. Stheno found him first, thus, she was the one to toy with him.

Just like many before him, she had him partake in many a dangerous quest and impossible demand for her hand. And, just like many before him, he did so, only to fall to despair as the sadistic goddess ridiculed him for every failure in her usual amused, smug attitude.

Unlike many before him, however, this man turned his despair into rage, and came after her.

This wasn't common, so Stheno was caught off guard. Even so, she wasn't afraid, although she did pretend she was. "S-stay way from me," she cried.

"You lead me on," the man ranted, "had me do impossible things. And you mocked me. And even when I didn't fail, you still never showed any gratitude! I have had it! I am going to take you and your sister with me, and you will be my wives and slaves, even if I must take you from this gods-forsaken island! Now get over here, wench!"

"No!" Stheno screamed in feigned fear, tripping over a stair and falling on her back.

As she sat herself up on her elbows, the man stood over her, a crazed grin and eyes full of rage contorting his face, sword and a fishing net in his hands. And yet, Stheno wasn't afraid.

The reason for this became clear when a spike burst out from the man's neck, followed by another spike through the upper right side of his chest, blood splattering from his wounds and onto Stheno.

Stheno smiled, licking a bit of blood that had landed on her cheek. "I was never afraid of you," she told him right before Medusa used her chains to throw the man into the air and slam him into the ground.

After he landed Medusa leapt up using what momentum was left and, her mystic eyes glowing, descended foot first onto Stheno's would-be captor, shattering his petrified body into dust. She had hit him and the ground so hard, that some of the dust made its way to Stheno, who had to shield her eyes from it.

When she looked back up, Medusa had dug the spikes of the chains into the ground near Stheno to yank herself forward. Stheno always wondered how Medusa could move so gracefully with those chains with her large body.

"Eldest sister, are you ok?" Medusa asked, concern written all over her face.

"About time, you got here," Stheno scolded lightly, "he could have caught and taken me away."

"I wouldn't have le-"

"And I'm injured, so, let me drink your blood so I can heal."

Medusa looked Stheno over. She could probably tell that Stheno was perfectly fine due to having a sixth sense similar yet superior to sight. "Eldest sister, you're not-"

"Blood, Medusless," Stheno interrupted.

Medusa sighed and held out her arm. Stheno bit into it and drank greedily of Medusa's red blood. Medusa waited patiently for Stheno to finish, even though she wasn't injured and drank more than what she needed if she was.

Stheno eventually pulled away, rubbing her distended belly. "Ahh, now I feel better."

"I am glad that you're alright, eldest sister," Medusa stated politely.

"By the way, Medusless, why didn't you use your bow, considering that you were a fair distance away?" Stheno inquired.

Medusa looked sheepish. "I, uh, couldn't find it."

"Wow, you are such a ditz, losing a precious weapon like that," Stheno commented as she stood up. "Maybe you should take better care of what you own, considering how little you actually-"

This time, it was Stheno's turn to get interrupted as something landed on Medusa's back, knocking her to the ground. It was Euryale, who had bitten into Medusa's shoulder and began to drink.

"S-second sister," Medusa exclaimed in surprise.

Euryale hopped off Medusa's back and floated down next to Stheno. "Geez, Medusa, I thought that your gigantic body made you strong," Euryale teased, "and yet you fall over when light little me lands on you." She giggled.

"Hey, Medusless, catch this." Stheno said, tossing her dress at her youngest sister. "You got blood and stone dust on my dress. Wash it."

Medusa looked at Stheno, who was only in her undergarments, with fearful worry. "E-eldest sister, what if someone saw-"

"Pfft," Stheno interrupted, "if anyone other than us is on the island, then you would know, baby sister."

Medusa nodded. "Yes, of course, how foolish of me. I'll go get you a new dress, then I'll wash this one."

"No, no, you go ahead and wash it." Stheno stretched and yawned. "I'm gonna go take a nap."

"Weren't you napping before that man showed up?" Medusa asked.

"Yes, and he interrupted it. And besides," she patted her belly, "I need to sleep of my meal."

Medusa nodded again. "Very well, eldest sister. I'll leave your dress in your room if you don't wake up before it is dry." She turned and walked away.

After a bit, Euryale called out, "Hey, Medusa! Don't hang the laundry on your dirty chains this time!"

"I won't, second sister," Medusa called back. Then she noticed her bow leaning on a nearby pillar. She grabbed it, scratched her head in confusion, then just shrugged and continued on her way, taking the bow with her.

"Did you take her bow, other me?" Stheno asked, as she was certain that the weapon wasn't there before.

"Yep," Euryale answered, giggling. "I was trying to find out how it worked, but I couldn't pull the bowstring back."

"I see," Stheno mused. "Out of curiosity, why didn't you tell her that you were borrowing it?"

"Medusa might've been a little mad if she knew, since it is one of the few things that's hers rather than a hand-me-down." Euryale held her finger up to her lips. "But if we keep quiet, no one will be mad, and if she doesn't find out, then there is nothing wrong." Euryale giggled again.

Stheno was certain that Medusa figured it out. But that didn't matter right now.

"Welp," Stheno yawned, "time for my nap." She turned to head to her room.

"Hey, other me," Euryale said, "I have a question."

"What is it, other me?"

"Why is it that Medusa never complains about doing all of the chores?"

"I don't know, other me."

"It's because she wanted to make up for the life of luxury we gave up when we came here to live with her," Stheno muttered under her breath, wearing a black dress rather than her usual white as she made her way to where Medusa would be buried.

When she got to where Medusa's grave will be, she saw Euryale was already there, tears slipping down her cheeks as she held a lock of her own hair. She turned to Stheno as she arrived.

"Did…did you get it?" she asked.

Stheno held up a gold coin she had taken from the body of one of the people who died on the Shapeless Isle without being turned to stone. "Yes."

"Good, good…" Euryale responded before looking down and sniffling. "You know, when I carried-" her voice hitched, "-here, she was lighter than I expected, even considering that she…" Euryale didn't finish that sentence. "Maybe we shouldn't have made fun of her *hic* her *sniff* her weight so…so much." Euryale started crying again.

Stheno sighed sadly, then looked at Medusa's grave. It had taken them a while to dig it, as they were unfamiliar with doing such things. Now, Medusa's body was in the grave, waiting for a few more things before it was buried.

Stheno walked up to the grave. Normally, according to what she knew, a coin would be placed in the mouth of the deceased, but that could not be done here. So instead, Stheno placed the coin in Medusa's hand. As Euryale placed the lock of her hair in the grave, Stheno grabbed a lock of her own hair and, briefly turning one of her fingers into a bronze claw, severed it from her head. She placed the lock of hair into the grave alongside Euryale's, then the two began to bury their dead sister.

After they were done, Euryale and Stheno, both out of breath from the hard work, knelt in front of the grave, Euryale bawling in grief.

As for Stheno, she clasped her hands in front of her, and began to pray. As much as it turned her stomach as a goddess to pray at all, much less to Hades, as she believes that it was his helmet that allowed that monster to escape with Medusa's head, she hoped that doing so would convince him to have mercy on Medusa and give her the peace she deserved. Plus, Hades was said to be one of the more reasonable gods, so hopefully he would listen.

"Hades, god of the underworld," Stheno whispered. "If you can hear this, please, allow Medusa into Elysium. She may have been a monster to others, but she was a hero to us, even if we didn't treat her like one. So please, Lord Hades, give our baby sister the peace she deserves. Please, I'm begging you, let Medusa be happy in the afterlife, please…" Stheno began to weep softly.

"Please…"