Episode 7: The Return of the Gorgon
It was the end of another fine spring day in Greece, the birds and crickets were chirping. But the serenity was not to be, for in some remote corner of some woods near a rocky grotto, a strange hooded figure was preparing a ritual, he laid out a square parchment which held a strange symbol in the shape of the upper 1/3 of a star and a few semi-circles, colored in jet black. After he unrolled the parchment, he reached into one part of his robes, pulling out two leather bags, and a long bone. The bone was laid out first, then out of one bag a stone, and from the other a live snake. He mumbled some strange words, placing his hands together and then raised them up in a chant. The three objects on the parchment levitated and then swirled around in a fury, eventually forming a bright star, then took shape. The shape twisted into a strange amalgam with a long, stocky tail for the lower end, and a human torso for the upper half. Eventually the form stopped glowing and revealed one of the deadliest figures from Greek mythology: Medusa, a half woman, half snake creature with hair made of live snakes.
"Who bringssssss me back to thisssssss Earthly domain?" She hissed like a snake.
"It is I, a follower of the Dark Master Dakmogon, ready for you to unleash some pain and panic on the world…" replied the Shadow Monk, Medusa smiled a sinister leer.
"Perhapsssss you'd like to be immortal. Ssssssstare into my eyessssssssss." The Monk did just that, and in a matter of seconds, he turned to stone. "Now to wreck havoc on the world….." She crawled away from the sight seeking to create fear all around. All around the area, shephards were calling back their flocks, children were called back by their parents from play, and anyone out for some romance was just frolicking about. She crawled her way through at a surprisingly fast pace, looking for someone to petrify with her deadly stare. It didn't take long before anyone caught sight of her unprepared got it, and didn't even have time to fully react. She discovered one shephard's discarded bow and quiver full of arrows, and proceeded to pick them up, adding to her terror.
In a matter of seconds after Medusa slithered away, a shadow portal appeared and out came the Z-Team. Looking around, they assessed the situation, with wide-eyed suprise. How on Earth could this elite group of paranormal investigators stop a monster that could petrify anyone, regardless of how powerful to stone in a matter of seconds?
"Gawrsh, looks like we were too late to save these people…." said Goofy solemnly.
"And it looks like the menace left her trail…." added Minnie, pointing to some slithering tracks in the ground. The group followed it, but remained cautious knowing all too well what Medusa was capable of. They just reached a nearby village, and once again they were too late, more people were petrified, and some bodies were shot with arrows.
"This is a lot worse than I thought….." pondered Zack as everyone observed the aftermath of a catastrophe all around them. "We'd better be on our guard around this place, she could show up anywhere."
"Just how was she stopped before Zack?" asked Donald.
"Let's go outside and I'll explain everything." Zack led the group outside the village where they were before. "Pull out the book Mickey." Mickey did so and looked through the book until he found the article that talked about Medusa.
"In the myth, the hero Perseus gained some divine intervention from two gods; Hermes, the messenger and Athena, the wisdom goddess. The first gave him the necessary weapon, a sharp one, and the latter gave him a shield with a mirror on the opposite side, so he could look at her reflection to lob her head off" Mickey read aloud.
"Quite correct, we'll need reflection to protect ourselves from her petrifying stare." answered Zack.
"But she's probably gotten more powerful Zack…" countered Simba.
"Yes, how on Earth can we feel safe to defeat her, one of us will make a mistake and get petrified!" added Nala.
"Can the petrification ever be cured?" asked Moana.
"Afraid not everyone, so we'll have to ask for special wisdom…." pondered Zack, he then spotted a temple nearby. "But I think I know how we can get that special wisdom….come with me you all!" He led the group inside the temple, but ordered them to stay at the rear while he perform a prayer. Kneeling in front of a statue of the goddess Athena, he prayed, "Athena, hear my plea, the monster Medusa is on the loose again. Give us the wisdom needed to defeat this evil…." In a beam of light sent from the heavens, the goddess appeared herself, wearing armor including a helmet, holding a spear, and with a grey owl on her shoulders.
"You're questions will be answered soon, great Zack Burner." she said. The group was in awe at the sight of her. "Follow me outside the temple and I will guide you all in your battle to defeat my adversary."
"You must have a grudge against her big time, she must have done something really terrible" Zack replied with a sardonic smile.
"You are correct Zack, she was once human like yourself, but she was vain and careless, she once defiled this place, so as punishment I transformed her into the horrible monster that she is. Now I hear dark forces have brought her back."
"Yes these dark forces are not to be underestimated, they've brought other monsters into our realm for world conquest and domination!"
"That's worse than what we gods have realized, you'll need every help you can get…" Zack smiled at this.
"Of all the gods, you are my favorite...and for very good reason." Athena smiled back at the compliment and led the group outside. Just outside the temple was a small grotto, perfect for a trap they could set up. She beckoned the group to gather around her in a circle.
"First and foremost almost all of you will need to be holding a mirror of some sort." She raised her spear upwards and from several lightning bolts appeared mirrors for most everyone in the correct size. "But that alone won't be enough, all of you will need to wear a blindfold, it will be your only protection against her deadly sight." She then spun around and in everyone's hands/paws was a long white cloth to use as a blindfold. "The mirrors are to help the three swordsmen and woman of your group to find her and at the right moment lob her head off. But I assume you would like to use Medusa in a desperate situation which is perfectly fine considering there will be situations that call for it." She then pointed at Zack and a leather bag appeared. "This will be to hold in her head after it has been lobbed off. To quote Zack, "sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do", so on that note here's the strategy, one will have to distract her over here, and then immediately run inside and get ready with blindfold and mirror. At first hold your mirrors downward until she comes inside, the swordsmen will take the center, when she's close enough I will beckon in your ears to raise up your respective mirror and then the swordsmen will have the opportunity to strike. Afterwards, get ready to catch the head, but make sure you're not looking when it happens. Good luck to all of you, I'll be watching from afar…" Athena faded away. With no time to lose, the Z-Team got to work setting up the trap for Medusa, getting the mirrors in position, and getting the blindfolds on their eyes, even Zack had to knowing his shades weren't a good protection, though he turned away while doing it, as he didn't want the group to realize his true self just yet. Pluto and Mushu were chosen as distractors, outside looking all around, and listening to whereever she was nearby, making sure that if detected, they need to proceed to phase two of the plan.
The slithering and hissing sound was heard, the two bolted back in and readied themselves, mirrors and blindfolded. The three swordsmen, Zack, Aladdin, and Mulan were ready, yet apart so they don't strike each other when she nears. The entire group had to remain silent as mice not wanting to alert them. The sound of hissing grew nearer and nearer to the grotto, the anticipation grew more frightening and straining, but weakness was not an option for anyone, one false move and petrification came. The snake woman monster just approached the mouth of the cave.
"Well, well, ssssssome more victimsssssss!" She hissed sinisterly, slowly working her way into the grotto. "My dearssssssss, don't you all want to become immortal? Look into my eyesssssss!" Everyone remained quiet and still, not going to bend to her requests. Medusa drew and arrow from her quiver and shot high, hitting a stalagmite from above, which fell and narrowly missed Mickey, who almost jumped, but forced himself to keep still.
"Not in the mood to talk my dearsssssss? I guesssssss I'll just have to you all a lesssssssson!" She started to bare her fangs and her eyes started glittering with seething hate and anger, she readied another arrow. Just then Jasmine swung out her whip, and despite being blindfolded, knocked the bow out of her hands, everyone else held up their mirrors in a flash, and Aladdin sensed the monster's presence and swung his sword high, which managed to successfully lob off her head, she bellowed a horrible shriek as her head started flying off, Zack readied the bag, hoping he would catch it successfully. In a matter of seconds, the head of Medusa landed safely in the bag, Zack felt the weight of the head, and sealed it quickly.
"We won everyone! Take off your blindfolds!" He shouted happily. Everyone took off their blindfolds, though Zack immediately put on his shades after he took his off, no one saw his face yet. Everyone looked at the decapitated monster's body before them, relieved that another frightening evil has been vanquished, and though they were unsuccessful at saving some unfortunates, knew all too well that there were others safe now. As they exited the grotto, Athena appeared before them, smiling.
"Congratulations mortals! I knew you bunch could do it! Just remember one thing though: Medusa can only be used five times, so use her wisely in the direst of circumstances. I have something for you as well…." She held out some transparent, flat object, which looked like a piece of a map. "This is one of the many pieces of the map that leads to where you need to find the sacred armor and weapons needed to defeat the dark forces. Goodbye for now, I have a feeling we'll all meet again soon…." She faded away back to Mount Olympus as the Z-Team looked on proudly. Unbeknownst to them the group was watched again by another wall shadow, who then disappeared out of sight to deliver the news. Back in the dark realm, the wall shadow appeared on a wall, lit with flames.
"Great Dark Master….yet another monster loss….." The wall shadow said sadly. An black armored hand rose up, flashing four fingers.
"Four losses so far, but at least that one gave me a good amount of souls to absorb, so that wasn't a total loss." Boomed the Dark Master from afar, another hand rose looking similar to the same left hand he rose earlier, the rest was still in shadow, pointing at the wall shadow, "Alert the next Shadow Monk of the next scheme, this one will carry on the same pain, death, and madness I need to gain my strength back for world darkness and domination. That Z-Team might have thwarted my plans, but they soon won't know how to stop me….even if they are able to find those Lightbringer weapons…." He laughed evilly.