This idea of dogs scavenging for their meal was beginning to piss Medusa off. She silently cursed at Demeter as she yanked a fat tuber from the earth.
Akrivi called them ground cotton, a large, round tuber that the dogs farmed in the green zone of Agrai’s Nest. According to him, when dried and ground, its flour can be used to make spongy, sweet cakes that are a delight to eat. She heavily doubted the ‘delight to eat’ part, though. Every meal she'd eaten at the dorm had been bland at best.
Now, instead of hunting, it was a gruelling harvest day. And despite the cool morning air, her brow was damp with sweat from the level of effort it took to harvest a single ground cotton. The easiest part was pulling them out; after that came the complicated process of riding the tubers of beetles without harming the pests in the process.
So far, Medusa had botched… she glanced to her left where a growing pile of spoiled ground cotton sat. Five in total. Apparently, harming a single beetle ruins the entire tuber. Ahead, other dogs went about the task with smooth efficiency, some even turning it into a contest of sorts.
Left alone, she’d have snuck off to explore the marked points on Clotho’s map, but she couldn’t even do that. Turns out she was awful at map-reading, and staring at the map for the past three days hadn’t made a difference. When she finally caved and asked Akrivi for help, his reaction was unexpected. He took one look at the map and flatly refused to help; even offering a whooping ten high-grade stones achieved nothing.
Annoyed, Medusa stabbed the ground cotton and carefully pushed the iron picker from side to side, hoping she’d succeed this time. But judging from the black sludge bubbling from the cut, she failed again.
That makes six. Discarding it, she reached for another leafy stem when someone grabbed her wrist.
“I think you should stop,” Akrivi said as he drew her picker into his pocket.
Medusa pulled her hand free without looking up. Though she was relieved to be free of the maddening task, she also felt a sense of incompetence. Other dogs, a total of twelve that had followed Akrivi’s group, continued to breeze through the task. Did they use aether? But she had attempted that and failed.
“Everybody must do their part, remember?” Medusa said.
“I was wrong.” Akrivi made a face as he took in her pile of contaminated harvest.
“Fine.” Rising to her feet, she dusted her hands and contemplated asking for his help again. Time was running out; Clotho had given the impression that she must find the person before her sister did. “About the map…”
Akrivi began to walk away, ignoring her. She hurried after him. “At least listen to my reason.”
“There’s nothing to listen to,” he replied with brutal finality.
Medusa chuffed, beyond frustrated. It was hard to reconcile this serious-faced Reds leader with the boy who joked around. What was his deal?
“Why wouldn’t you help me?” Medusa asked as she struggled to keep up with his long strides. “I can double my bargain.” She groaned on the inside at her impulsive offer. Why did I say that? Doubling the bargain meant twenty high-grade stones.
He stopped walking and turned, that unyielding expression still on his face. “Some things are simply not worth it.”
Desperate, she asked, “Is there something else you want? Something I can help with?”
When a mischievous glint lit his eyes, Medusa added in a dead voice, “Don’t say it. Never going to happen.” It had become his running joke to ask her to be one of his girlfriends at least once a day.
He laughed for the first time since they entered the nest and earned a few curious glances from the dogs. “But you know what they say; persistence and success are friends.” He winked.
Medusa grimaced and suppressed the urge to kick his shin. “Will you help me or not?”
His serious demeanour returned. “I meant it when I said no. And I know you asked Lonian and the twins, too.”
Well, not like she was hiding it. Yes, she asked, and yes, they flatly refused to help; none of them were willing to explore Agrai’s Nest without Akrivi’s permission.
“Come with me,” he finally said as he headed for the tree border ahead.
“Where are we going?” Medusa asked, alert with pins ready.
“To show you why I won’t help you.”
In silence, they made their way through the thicket. The presence of small animals and birds indicated that the green zone was likely devoid of dangerous predators; still, she couldn’t get herself to relax.
Finally, they came upon an expansive clearing covered in level grass with a cliff at its far end. It reminded her of the cliff at her home, only in this case, it overlooked the spread of the nest. Heavily forested with a winding river that snaked past mountains and valleys blanketed with morning fog. The hunter in her was practically vibrating to explore every nook of the lush forest.
“That map you showed me, the one with the marked points.”
“What about it?”
Akrivi sat and braced his hands behind him, appearing relaxed. “I wouldn’t ask who gave it to you, but I know trouble when I see it, and that map is trouble.”
Unfazed by his warning, Medusa shrugged.
“Take a look.” She caught something he tossed her way. It was an intricately carved spyglass made of green wood, with webbed roots coiled around its length and runes etched into its surface.
“Over there.” He pointed to the east, where the trees were not as dense. “A bit to the left, you’d see what I mean.”
Medusa did as he said. At first, nothing caught her eye, then she saw it. Something tall and grey, almost entirely hidden by the surrounding vegetation.
“What’s that?”
“Look closely.”
Peering more intently, Medusa trailed the glass up and noticed it. An impossibly large marble arm sticking out of the earth. “How…”
“Beyond that point are more statues, but unlike the ones in Tartarus Proper, they’re half buried or broken? I’m not sure.”
“What does that have to do with the map?” Medusa returned the spying glass.
“Your map pinpoints four locations.” His expression turned grim. “Well, those four locations hold similar statues.”
She didn't understand how that was a problem. “But how’s that—”
“It’s dangerous, May.” Akrivi looked at her, stubborn finality in his gaze. There was also sadness there, which was unusual. “I’ll never let anyone under my watch near that place. It’s suicide.”
“It says nowhere in the rule book that I can’t explore the nest. You can't stop me.”
Akrivi stood, face darkening with anger as he glared at her. “Do you wish to die?” His voice was tight with impatience. “And who says I can’t stop you?”
There was a strange aura about him, but unlike the case with deities, Medusa couldn’t pick up any scent in the air. It felt suppressive, and its presence blared danger alarms. Although she had witnessed others at the receiving end of whatever this was, experiencing it was a different matter altogether. Determined to de-escalate the situation, she withdrew her needles, noticing she had summoned them on instinct.
“Let’s calm down. Remember you’re still my guard for a month.”
He blinked at her but said nothing.
“I don’t wish to die, but—”
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“Then it’s settled.” He turned to leave, unwilling to continue their conversation.
“I must follow that map,” Medusa said.
“Must?” There was a bite in his voice. Turning to face her, he scowled as a bit of that beastly appearance flashed and disappeared just as fast. “One of the dogs died there!”
“Oh.” That… she had not expected that. “Well, I—”
“And I was in charge when that happened.” He huffed a breath, his fury appearing to leak out of him as his shoulders sagged. “Look, we do not explore those areas, and you wouldn't be an exception.”
Finally finding her voice, she murmured, “But I don’t have a choice.”
He laughed, but there was nothing light-hearted about the sound. “There's always a choice.”
Medusa frowned when she realised something wasn’t adding up. He said one of the dogs died, but was also sure of what lay where the map marked. That meant he had explored those places and didn’t die. So why was he insistent on keeping her away? She’d have to find a way to—
“I can see it in your eyes. You’re already scheming on how to do foolishness.”
Medusa shrugged. “I should thank you for showing me where to start my search.”
“Do you know what happens to a person, blood carrier or not, who goes near one of those statues?”
“Nothing,” Medusa answered nonchalantly as she resolved to end their conversation. It was clear Akrivi would never agree to help her. “Nothing happens to them. I even rode up a statue in Tartarus Proper.”
“That’s different. Those have stabilisers that regulate aether flow, but out there?” Light bounced off his sapphire earring as he nodded towards the east. “Out there, there are no stabilisers. A strange type of aether flares untamed, polluting everything. The plants. The animals. Everything. Going there is suicide. Do not test me. As the leader of the Reds, I have the…”
Medusa tuned him out. She had read extensively on blood carriers both in the school library and what Clotho made available in the annexe. None drew aether from their pores; if anything, blood carriers live all their lives drawing aether from stones and micromanaging their reserves to shocking degrees. The realisation had floored her. If that were the case, then what she saw Arke achieve was wild, and whatever she achieved with the statues in her training was nothing compared to that level of disciplined management. Sometimes abundance was poison.
“Are you listening to me?” Akrivi asked. “Do you understand what would happen if you get too close to the statues? You will die.”
Medusa blinked him into focus. At least he appeared concerned, which was a rare sight.
“It’s sad that someone died, but I’m not that dog. I can handle myself.”
Akrivi massaged his temple and groaned. “It's like I'm talking to a wall.”
“How do you feel whenever you’re within the proximity of, say… a high-grade aether stone?”
Akrivi dropped his hand, seeming confused by her abrupt change of topic. “Why do you ask?”
“I’m simply curious.”
“Every blood carrier feels a painful pressure at the nape of their neck. The highter the stone one is exposed to, the higher the pressure.”
Why did his answer sound like something lifted straight from a textbook?
“That’s why I’m saying you should stay away from the—”
“I do not feel that.” After she woke up from her training and had sensed the spinning ball of aether at the pit of her belly, she had done some exploration. What she learned had been pretty interesting. She no longer felt sensitive to stones. Yes, she could sense them, but there was no pressure. “No pain. No pressure. Nothing.”
Medusa flinched in surprise when Akrivi flashed over and grabbed her shoulders. “Repeat what you just said.”
“Um…” She observed him warily. “I do not feel any pressure from stones?”
“Swear you’re not lying.” He pressed, eyes fierce.
Shrugging off his hands, she crossed hers. “What’s this about? And why would I lie about such a thing?”
Akrivi laughed to the sky before beaming at her. Medusa retreated a step, unsure of how to deal with this new ecstatic version of him.
“You’re like me.” There was awe on his face as he stabbed his fingers through his hair and pushed it from his forehead. “By the gods, she’s like me.” He began to pace.
Medusa didn’t like where this was heading. Had she been too comfortable around him and shared something she shouldn’t have?
“You,” he was still smiling, the bright expression magnifying his already good looks to a ridiculous degree, “one of your parents is a god, right?”
Medusa’s breath hitched as a sudden chill flared a warning. She took a step back, then another. “What makes you say that?” Gulping, she drew out a laced needle, ready to strike. There was no way he had found out her identity. No way.
“Don’t look at me like that.” He was smiling as if he’d found a long-lost loved one. “I knew there was something different about you when I saw you in that arena.”
Not knowing what to say, Medusa remained still as dozens of questions whizzed through her head.
“You don’t need to tell me who the god or goddess is. I wouldn’t tell you mine either.” He made a face as if recalling something unpleasant. “Or I may one day; you never know. But this is great,” he continued in good cheer. “What can you do? Of course, that shout when you fought Arke. Are you blessed or cursed? This is unbelievable. Not that I don’t believe it, it’s just… I didn’t expect you to be one.”
“Um…” Lost for words, Medusa drew in her needle and blurted the first question that came to mind. “What makes you certain I’m a child of a deity?”
“Because contrary to how it may seem, I’m not an idiot,” he said with a breezy wave. “And don’t worry, I set up a privacy dome when we got here. No one can hear us. Speak comfortably.”
To Medusa’s dismay, she only noticed the dome because he mentioned it. Just how strong was he? She observed him with new eyes.
“Did they also force you to come here?” He asked, the eager note still in his voice.
Still reeling, Medusa sat on the grass as she attempted to collect her thoughts. Clotho had mentioned that Akrivi was cursed and linked him to Hera. According to the scanty record of deities and their offspring, there was no way she was his mother. And she didn’t recall seeing any offspring named Akrivi in the record. Wait. Was Akrivi even his name?
“How are you certain I’m a child of a deity?” Medusa asked again.
Akrivi shrugged, appearing pleased with himself as he settled next to her. “Aether sensitivity is something no blood carrier can completely overcome until they become a low deity.”
“So you’re saying you’re a low deity.”
Akrivi shook his head, that serious look returning to his face. “It’s different with us.” He gestured at both of them.
“Us? There’s no us. I’m not whatever you are.”
“Drop the act, soft hands.” He bumped their shoulders. “The moment I mentioned being a deity's kid, your expression gave you away. You should work on that; some steal information and make accurate deductions if you give them an inch.”
Hanging her head, she wove her fingers behind her neck. “What the hell is this?” she muttered in English.
“This is amazing, soft hands. There are many things I want to tell you. It's crazy being the only one of your kind.”
She looked up and met his eyes. He seemed sincere. “Fine. You got me. One of my parents is a deity.” That’s technically correct.
“Of course I was right.” He flashed a self-assured grin that forced Medusa to roll her eyes.
Might as well go for the goal. “Now you know the statues can't harm me, will you help with the map?”
His playful air vanished as he faced ahead. “That doesn’t mean the risks are gone. Give me a convincing reason.”
Medusa swallowed a frustrated sigh. “My backer wished that I do this.” Clotho did, not Ares. Eh, semantics.
“Even if that's true, do you trust them enough to take the risk?” His stare grew unfocused. “Deities are cunning, and in their eyes, we’re… things. Are you certain you're not being used?”
Medusa considered her current circumstance. Joining the dogs, exploring Agrai’s Nest because she was a Red, the map happening to cover the nest, even Akrivi revealing he was a deity’s offspring, they all seemed… like Clotho had an indirect hand in it. But it was a benefit of doubt she was hard-pressed to give. She may not see the complete picture, but her instinct leaned toward following the path the Moirai carved.
“We’re all being used one way or the other, Akrivi. I am willing to risk it.”
“Very well.” Akrivi clapped as if the matter were settled. “But that’ll be twenty high-grade stones.”
“Huh?” Medusa asked, confused.
He smirked at her reaction. “What? You didn't expect it to be a simple favour, did you?”
Understanding dawned. “Twenty?” Was he being serious? “But the statues can't kill me.”
“Why act surprised? Don't tell me you've forgotten begging me to accept double your initial offer?”
Medusa raged internally. The weasel. She'd hoped he was too angry to pick up her desperate offer.
“You cannot be generous with others but assume poverty when dealing with me.” His language grew smoother, taking on the eloquence of a seasoned merchant. “Why? You gave a whopping twenty stones to train the dogs, but you wouldn’t pay a similar amount to guarantee your safety and secure the services of an expert guide?”
“That…I…” Medusa spluttered. Why couldn’t she form an argument?
He began counting with his fingers. “First, it will take weeks—”
“Weeks?”
“Maybe a month to find the location you seek.”
“Isn’t that too long?”
“You really don't know how to read maps, do you?” He cocked his head, appearing contemplative. “This cannot be rushed.”
“But—”
“Agrai’s Nest is massive. We also need to consider the available time. I would not sacrifice my responsibilities with the Reds for this task, so we have limited days to explore. There will be times you forgo classes. Accumulated non-attendance means extra training with Nestor and his band of sadistic trainers. There is the terrain as well. The forest changes in the subtlest of ways, but those changes are significant enough to ruin our progress, hence my decision not to rush. And—”
“Fine!” Medusa threw her hands. “It’s fine. The cost is justified.” It was infuriating how everything was a bargain with him.
“Of course, it's justified,” He said with a satisfied huff. “Hey,” he bumped their shoulders again, “don’t take it personally. Business and all, you know?”
When Medusa said nothing, he tutted and surged to his feet. “We’re still friends, yeah?” He offered a hand to pull her up.
Clotho gave her fifty stones, and now she was down to eight. Did the Moirai foresee this situation? Was that why she gave her the high-grade stones?
“We’re not friends,” Medusa mumbled, but took his offered hand anyway.
“So cold.” Akrivi chuckled, his mood leagues away from the storm it was earlier. “An upfront payment of ten aether stones, and we'd start tomorrow. Deal?”
Feeling deflated and thoroughly fleeced, Medusa nodded. “Deal.”
It's mystery for me. I don't want to know who done it. All that mental gymnastics of suspecting this or that person, the endless questions... so exhausting.
One genre has to go forever
