We visit the Gnome Emporium Part Three:
(Jason's Point of View)
Cody and I hid behind some crates. We hoped Annabeth and Phoebe were safely hidden two. "You girls have chosen," Medusa's voice echoed across the dark, torch-lit air. She was going for the girls. "A daughter of a self-righteous mother. Who chose self-righteous for herself. And you, sea girl, you could have shown your father what it means to stand up for someone you love,". You could choose to save your mother instead of doing your father's bidding. If neither of you will help teach these lessons, perhaps you should be the lessons. When I ship your statues to Olympus maybe that will get my point even better,".
"She's going for them," Cody whispered. We were about to move when something low and hissy echoed in our ears.
"There's no point running!" Medusa mocked. "I have a friend here. And he's very good at catching anyone who tries to escape. In fact, he offers a much sweeter death than being stuck as statues forever,".
(Phoebe's Point of View)
I frantically spun around, looking for any sign of Grover or this giant friend of Medusa's, lurking down there. "Phoebe," Annabeth whispered in my ear. She pointed up and we saw a long, scaley tail coiling up a column. She pushed me behind a large box and we pressed our backs against the wood.
"Blood," a deep hissing noise crawled over the ceiling. "I want blood. Must kill. Must drink,".
"I think it's a snake," I whispered.
"Of course, it's a giant snake," Annabeth retorted quietly. Some dust fell on our faces. "It's up there," we said. We looked up and saw a giant, sixty-foot-long reptile crawling upside down along the ceiling. Spikes grew out of the back of its head and down its spine. Annabeth pushed me out of sight.
(Jason's Point of View)
I kept Cody close to me at all times. I was really wishing Luke had come with us instead of him. Cody was scared of snakes and the snake's voice was so creepy. "Stay here," I whispered.
I tiptoed past a row of crates and peered over. I saw Medusa without her hat on. her snaky hair draped over her shoulders. She turned around and I ducked just in time. I went back to where I left Cody but he wasn't there. "Cody," I whispered. "Cody where are you?".
His footprints were in the dust and I followed the trail and saw him walking slowly towards a black empty corner. And then I saw a pair of great big yellow eyes. I ducked behind a large wooden box and peered around. The snake monster slithered out of the dark, keeping its firm gaze focused on Cody. And he made no reaction and just rotated its eyes around following its gaze as it coiled around him. He was being hypnotised. I had to do something. I reached into my rucksack and pulled out my father's sword. I pressed a jewel on the handle and it grew longer.
I looked forward and saw Cody about to have his head chopped off by giant jaws with rows of sharp fangs. I had to act now. I climbed up onto some boxes very quietly and I jumped. My sword stabbed the head of the snake monster. It roared in pain and Cody was released from the coils of the snake monster. I landed on my back and he pulled me up and we ran, the snake chasing after us. We passed by several statues of mythical beings and humans, our monstrous pursuer breaking them apart. We ducked behind a corner to hide but we could feel the shadow of the snake looming over us.
Cody activated his bow and chanted some ancient Greek words and he shot the arrow in another direction. It flew up and over items before striking a statue. The snake was drawn away. Now we had to rescue the girls.
"Get your bow ready," Cody already had his bow ready. We saw the girls but their eyes were scrunched. Medusa saw us and Cody closed her eyes. Mine were open. Medusa's enchanted eyes were silver.
She gawked at me. and it was at that moment I realised I wasn't stone. "How is possible for you to look at me?" she demanded.
I froze and couldn't answer. "I don't know,".
"Then you will be eaten. Lystamos!" she shouted. The snake was summoned to her master and it roared as it recognised me.
Cody shot an arrow at its skin but it bounced off like a bullet in armour. "Go for its eyes!" he shouted. But Lystamos whacked his tail and he was knocked to the floor. I swiped my sword and I struck the monster's hide. Somehow my sword could penetrate its thick hide. I noticed the blade was glowing blue.
"How do you work these things?" Grover's cries drew away Medusa's attention. He crashed into a large crate. Quickly Annabeth placed the cap on her head and she turned invisible. And slice! Phoebe's sword drooled with blood and we saw dust poof off the floor. Medusa had fallen.
I was distracted. The snake roared I was whipped into some boxes too. It tried to bite at me but I sliced my sword again and I struck its nose. "Go for its eyes!".
Quickly Phoebe drew out her sword and slashed at one of Lystamos's eyes, blinding him. He screamed in pain. Annabeth pulled out her dagger and scraped his other eye. He roared and he slithered off like a coward, crashing into several boxes and statues.
"And don't come back you giant snake!" Cody shouted.
Phoebe helped me up. "Are you okay?". She asked.
"I'm fine,". I picked up my sword, stained with giant snake blood and its glow dimmed.
"What is that sword?" Cody asked after Annabeth helped me up.
"Where did you get that sword?" Annabeth asked.
"Chiron gave it to me. He said my father left this for me,". I swiped off the gore with a piece of cloth.
(Phoebe's Point of View)
I carefully picked up the severed head hoping no gorgon blood would spill down my air. We made our way back up the stairs to the front door. "Make sure it's pointing in the right direction before you take the hat off," Annabeth advised.
"Don't have to tell me twice. Good tip. Think you could open the door please?".
Annabeth opened the door and I went out into the open where Alecto and her Furies were still being scared away by Tuastos and Akeda. They stopped growling when they saw me. "Stand back guys," I implored. "I'm handing myself over,".
"Wise choice young girl," Mrs. Dodds answered. Tuastos and Akeda tried to nudge me away but they smelt the invisible head in my hands and growled. "Trust me," I whispered.
The bear and the wolf stood back.
"What is that you're carrying?" my ex-Algebra teacher asked.
"This," I pulled off the cap and instantly all the furies except a few who managed to hide their eyes turned to stone immediately. "I suggest you leave," I ordered the remaining four. "There's too many of us and I'm not afraid to use the head,".
"You got lucky this time,". Mrs Dodds turned her back and took off at once. I turned the head invisible again. Akeda pawed my leg and I stroked him. "It's all done now, guys. Now let's find a way to keep this head hidden before we continue,". They followed me back into the house and down the stairs and Cody instantly went to greet them and they painted his face with tongues. Annabeth and Jason stroked them assuring them, they were safe but I noticed Grover wasn't with them. I put down the head and went to find him.
He was standing in front of another satyr statue. He was silent, heartbroken. "Grover," I touched his shoulder. "Is that your …".
"Uncle Ferdinand," he cried a little.
"I'm so sorry,". I cried a little too and pursed my lips.
"This is as far as he got on his quest. We aren't even to Trenton. But look at him," he chuckled softly. "He's not like the others. He doesn't look afraid,".
I gave him a hug which he returned. "It's going to be okay,". I looked over his head and saw the others approaching us with the same dejected faces.
They moved into hug Grover too and he appreciated it more than anything. After a while of silence, he asked, "Did you use the head to get rid of the furies?".
"Most of them. Mrs. Dodds and a few flew off. Pretty much scared of what will happen if they stayed a little longer,".
"Good. That was the right move. We should get going,".
"Grover, we don't have to," Cody said.
"No. we should. We have to keep moving. It'll be dark soon and we haven't even gotten that far,"
"But what are we going to do about the head?" Jason asked. "We can leave it around for someone to find. Who knows what they could do with it?".
An idea popped into my head. "I say we leave the hat on and bury it in the basement, that oughta keep it hidden,".
"How about we talk about something else?" Annabeth spoke up grimly.
"Annabeth," I tried to calm her.
" 'You could have saved your mother' ". They were the exact same words Medusa spoke out loud. "That's what she said to you like you already discussed it before. What was that about?".
"Annabeth," I implored.
"My mother is alive and trapped in Hades," I explained, my heart breaking again from thinking about how she could be suffering there.
"Then, what are you actually doing on this quest?".
"Guys, please will you just stop?" Grover begged. Tuastos and Akeda whimpered.
But Annabeth ignored him and so did I. "I'm going to save my mother,". I answered back. "I will not abandon her,".
She did not care at all. "Care to explain why we have to hear that from Medusa?".
I was pushed to the brink of angry tears. "What about 'You should have accepted my offer', from Alecto'?" I challenged her.
Cody stepped in. "Phoebe, will you just calm down? It doesn't mean …,".
But I ignored him too. "What were you discussing her about? And why did we have to hear from her?".
Jason pushed himself between us. "Yes, alright. That's enough out of you two!".
"Please," Grover still crying a little wiped his eyes. He glared at me. "The hat was a gift from her mother. It's the only thing she's ever possessed that connects them. Just like your pearl necklace connects to your father,".
"Well, then how are we going to keep the head safe?' I retorted back.
"And you, really?" Jason glared at Annabeth. "Her mother is alive, trapped in Hades. How can she not want to journey to save her?". He couldn't believe Annabeth would say such things.
"Can you not imagine what she must be going through?" Grover challenged. "How confused she must feel? She may have to choose between the fate of the world and the fate of the only person who's ever cared about him?". I shed a tear.
"Why are you talking like this?" Annabeth demanded.
"Because all day the three of us have been trying to keep this quest on track without upsetting either of you two!". Jason snapped.
"You two have been at each other's throats since the moment we left and we haven't got that far," Cody ranted angrily. "Phoebe, Annabeth asked you a question back in the woods and you haven't even answered. What are you so afraid of?".
"What are you talking about?" I demand.
"You heard us," Cody was not falling for my trick.
"I don't,".
"Oh, we think you do,". Jason answered back. "You've been fighting with all of us and we have done nothing but try to keep you safe …,".
"Because the Oracle said one of you would betray me!" I cried out. "Okay?". They froze. " 'You shall be betrayed by one who calls your friend and you shall fail to save what matters most in the end',". The Oracle's words made everyone a little shaken. "I chose you Jason because the Oracle said that without you all I strived for would be lost. I thought you could help me get my mother back. Cody, I chose you because you're the youngest demi-god I know and I could never imagine you betraying anyone,".
Cody stroked Akeda who barked sadly seeing my tears.
I eyed Annabeth distrustfully. "I chose you because I could never imagine us being friends. And I chose you, Grover because I thought if I could count on anyone to be on my side, it was you. But now, I feel so alone,". I slumped on a footstool, crying heavily. "I don't know what to think or who to trust,".
Jason sat beside me and rubbed my shoulder. Grover sat on my other side and gave me a warm side hug. Akeda rested his snout on my knees and I stroked his far.
"Alecto offered to help our quest if I gave you up to her,". Annabeth explained.
"What did you do?" I asked.
"I killed one of her sisters and fought her other ones off to protect you,". By the look on her face, she looked really sorry for how she had spoken to me about my mother like that.
And so, I chose to give in too. "Medusa offered to help me save my mum if I turned on you all,".
"And what's you'd say?".
"I cut off her head," I wiped my ears.
"We didn't choose to be demigods. We didn't choose this quest. But we can decide that as long as we all stick together, none of us are gonna have to feel afraid or alone,". Grover's words were uplifting. "And if we can't, we might as well head back to camp right now 'cause we won't make it,".
"We were all chosen for a reason," Jason stood up. "And like it or not, this is what we have to do,".
"I think I've got a better idea of how to deal with the head," I stood up and led everyone away to a large desk with a big written book. I found a small parcel box and placed Medusa's head inside it.
Cody read the label on one of the packages. "Hermes Express. Olympus's post service. It looks like Medusa shipped these things all over,".
Annabeth shook her head. "Woah, we can't ship Medusa's head to Olympus,".
I frowned at her. "Why not? It's the best option we have. It's what you do with dangerous stuff. Like batteries, you just send them back where they came
But this is a bad idea. They will deem it impertinent,".
"Medusa tried to stop us from fulfilling our quest. She's got serious beef with your mum, Annabeth. If anything, I deem this like a tribute to her. And besides …" I pull out the cap from the box. "This way, you can still keep your mother's gift,". I offered it to her and she took it.
"Thank you," she smiled.
"I think Phoebe's right guys. This is the only way, no one can ever use Medusa's head as a weapon," Jason spoke up.
"And if we get into trouble," I spoke up again. "I'll take full responsibility,".
(Jason's Point of View)
"So, what do we do now?" Cody asked.
"We eat some food," Phoebe suggested. "We're hungry and we'll take what items we can from here,".
"What about that giant snake?". He had come so close to being a meal he didn't want to face it again any time soon.
"We blinded it," Annabeth said. "It won't pose a threat to us. But Jason, your sword was the only one that could strike its hide and our weapons were only effective against its eyes,".
"I need to find out," I packed my retracted sword.
We devoured as much food as our stomachs could hold. Instantly we were stuffed like turkeys and we packed some snacks and drinks in flasks and brought out some large blankets which we threw over Tuastos's back. We hiked through the forests, heading west for hours until nightfall came and we made camp, keeping the packaged box safe and sound amongst our supplies.
As we did, Grover looked at loads of litter scattered near the park and picnic areas. As a creature of nature, he despised any form of environmental pollution. And I couldn't help but feel so sorry to see a world he was part of being so messed up by human activity. Everyone fell asleep straight away - all except Phoebe and I who sat in the stream.
"You were so brave fighting that giant snake," she consoled.
"So were you. I understand what you're going through Phoebe. But I want you to know that you're not alone. We're your friends and we're gonna do whatever it takes to save your mother,"
She sniffled. "Thank you. Are you okay?".
"I just looked into the eyes of a gorgon without turning to stone. No demigod could do that before so why me? And my father's sword bled that giant snake. Why am I different? Just because I'm a human blessed by your father?".
"We'll find out," Phoebe said. "We'll figure everything out. Come on, you should get some sleep,".
"I'm just gonna stay up a bit longer. You go I'll be alright, I promise,".
"You've done well so far Jason. Your dad would be proud of what you did today,".
"And so would your mum,".
She blinked her eyes. "I'm sorry I quarrelled so much with Annabeth today,".
"I can't blame you. I remembered what it was like after I first befriended Luke and she introduced me to her,".
Phoebe chuckled. "Don't stay up too long," she stood up and patted my shoulder before going back to camp. I stayed where I was again, looking at me sword. When all of a sudden, the water shimmered like a rainbow and I saw someone's face.
"Luke," I breathed.
"I wanted to check on you and see if you guys are okay,".
"You could say that. You will not believe what happened today,".
"Tell me,".
And so, I told Luke everything. And he couldn't believe it. "You actually looked at Medusa and didn't turn to stone?".
"Yes. And I don't know whether to feel relieved or scared about it,".
"You've nothing to be scared of Jason. And you should be proud of yourself for saving Cody from that snake monster,".
"How's my dad?".
"He's good. Doesn't talk much. Most of the time he's thinking about you. He misses you a lot,".
"Would you put him on for me?".
"Of course,".
I waited a second. And I saw Chiron's face. "Dad,".
"Jason," he smiled. "I'm so happy to see you,".
"Dad, the sword you gave me. it glowed blue and it was the only thing that could penetrate the hide of a snake monster we battled along with Medusa. And I looked into her eyes without being turned to stone,".
He was befuddled. "Oh Jason,".
"I'm scared now, Dad. What if I'm dangerous?".
"No, my boy. Use that sword to keep you safe at all times. Your birth father left it to you for a reason to protect you. Now you should get some sleep. We'll talk to you again in a few days,".
"Please let me know if anything happens,".
"We will,".
"I love you guys,".
My dad and brother switched off and I went back to the camp of snoozers. I settled myself next to Annabeth and Cody snuggled next to me. I settled my head against Tuastos's fur and I dozed off at once under the big blanket. The stars were shining brightly over us and I hoped in a way Poseidon was watching us too.
I knew deep down that he was finding it hard to stand back and watch Phoebe struggle. She had to see that. Her father who left her that pearl necklace just needed to send a sign to show that.
That's three episodes done now. Episode four will start next week. But now I must focus on doing an Encanto 2 chapter. I hope you all enjoyed it and thank you Biwanarch for the big snake idea. I really enjoyed using it. See you all soon.