A squad of four modern-day armed soldiers trekked in tactical formation toward the dark mouth of Medusa’s mountain cave, their Black Hawk helicopter idling on a riverbank far behind them.

  Sergeant Veronica Torres adjusted the strap of her rifle and glanced at Lieutenant James Barnett as they approached the cave entrance with deliberate steps. “I didn’t catch all the details during the briefing—what’s the full story on Medusa? Who is she really?” she asked, her tone curious.

  Jim, taller and solidly built, gave her a sidelong glance. “How about you tell me what you already know? That way I can fill you in on the rest.”

  Veronica shrugged. “From what I remember, she’s this gruesome monster woman with snakes instead of hair. And she’s so ugly that anyone who looks at her turns to stone.”

  Jim smiled. “Not a bad summary, but there’s a bit more to it.” He paused as they neared the cave, glancing back toward the rest of the team. The unit consisted of eight soldiers—four standing guard near the two helicopters, parked a few hundred yards away by the banks of what command had determined to be the River Styx. He had selected three others to accompany him inside.

  Turning back to Veronica, he continued, his tone turned more serious. “Medusa wasn’t always a monster. She was originally a priestess, sworn to serve the goddess Athena. But then Poseidon—the sea god—raped her inside Athena’s temple.”

  Veronica’s face twisted in disgust. “That’s just fuckin’ wrong.”

  Jim exhaled sharply. "I agree. But rather than punishing Poseidon, Athena unleashed her fury on Medusa instead, cursing her with serpentine hair and a deadly gaze. Perhaps Athena was protecting her sacred temple, or maybe it was twisted revenge—either way, Medusa paid the price."

  Veronica's eyes widened in shock as her mouth fell open in a horrified gasp.

  Jim continued, “But command seems to believe Medusa isn’t the villain the myths make her out to be. In fact, they’ve determined she’s powerful enough—and valuable enough—that we’re here to recruit her. Turning people to stone simply by looking at them is quite the power.” He hesitated before adding, “I’m reluctant to say ‘rescue’ because, well… we’re pretty sure she’s going to be beheaded by Perseus.”

  Hopefully, that hasn’t happened. It would be a shame to come all this way for nothing, he thought.

  Jim continued, “But if she’s still alive, we need to be very careful. We’re dealing with someone who’s been brutalized in more ways than one. She’s not just a monster—she’s a survivor. She’s hurt, scared, and dangerous. We need to approach her carefully.”

  Veronica exhaled, gripping her weapon a little tighter. “Understood, sir.”

  He gave a firm nod as the team continued forward. With weapons at the ready, they advanced cautiously toward the cave. The entrance loomed before them—a shadowy void carved into the rocky landscape, as if the earth had been wounded long ago and left to fester. A damp chill emanated from within, carrying the faint scent of stone.

  As they neared the threshold, Veronica’s voice broke the tense silence. “Sir, are you worried we might get turned to stone?”

  Jim continued walking.

  “No,” he replied evenly. “I completely trust Major Chang and his team. Smart people.”

  Veronica narrowed her eyes, glancing at him. “You bein’ sarcastic?”

  Jim smirked but didn’t answer. Instead, he took a slow step inside the cave, scanning the darkness ahead. Finally, he murmured, “Guess we’ll find out, won’t we?”

  The deeper they went, the heavier the air became.

  Jim gestured toward his glasses as he continued hiking. “Your sunglasses—wear them at all times, even indoors. These aren’t just any pair,” he instructed. Then, he added, “Check the AI translators—make sure the batteries are charged and keep them on.” He glanced at the small, cigarette-pack-sized device clipped to his vest. Satisfied with the green battery indicator, he pressed forward.

  The squad moved on, passing scattered stone statues standing in silent vigil. Jim stepped up to one, running his fingers over its weathered face. Despite their dynamic poses—as if about to throw or swing—the statues' hands held nothing. Some still wore tattered remnants of clothing, frayed and torn from years of exposure. Others had toppled over, lying in various states of disarray on the ground.

  “What happened here?” Veronica asked.

  “Evidence that Medusa is real,” Jim replied.

  The statues looked to be carved from solid stone, their natural texture unmistakable against the artificial surroundings. What stretched before them resembled a frozen battlefield—warriors locked in eternal combat. Above, the unsettling rustle of bat wings whispered through the darkness, as though nature itself was sounding an ominous alarm.

  The group was still examining the statues when Veronica whispered, “Hey, everyone. Come look at this!”

  They hurried over to where she knelt, eyes locked on the strange sight before her. A deer statue lay on its side—but only half of it was stone. A clean split ran from the deer's head to tail, as if the right side had petrified while the left side remained in its natural, skeletal form. There was no flesh, no organs—just an abrupt transition from bone to solid rock.

  The squad stood frozen, staring in stunned silence.

  “Sir, this is insane. I have no idea what to make of this.” Veronica’s breathing was unsteady as she tightened her grip on her rifle. The other two squad members drew closer together without a word, casting wary glances around.

  “I know it’s unsettling,” Jim said, his voice a forced calm. “Take a breath. Snap some pictures and let’s all keep moving.”

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  He scanned the surroundings, doing his best to keep his composure, then gave Veronica a reassuring pat on the shoulder. She nodded, exhaled through her nose, and rose to her feet. After taking a few photos with her digital camera, she fell in step behind him, the unease still lingering in the air.

  The group descended a winding tunnel that stretched fifty yards before opening into a vast cavern. Water droplets splashed into puddles while their boots echoed softly in the darkness.? The air turned cool, their breath visible. The ground leveled out, scattered with algae and the occasional mushroom. Rocks and broken limestone fragments littered the floor of the cave. Nearby, small, abandoned buildings stood—roofless, with only a few of their walls still intact. Torches flickered in uneven rhythms, casting faint light in various directions that illuminated parts of the cavern. The scene resembled a primitive village nestled inside the cave for shelter, with just enough light to make out shapes amid pockets of darkness. More stone statues stood among them, some fully adorned in Bronze Age clothing.

  Jim stood in awe at the discovery—it was no small feat to construct an entire village so deep within a cave.

  The squad paused at the cavern’s entrance.

  “Okay, here we go. Sergeant, squad’s yours,” Jim said as he looked about for a bit, finally resting his eyes on Veronica.

  “Got it, Lieutenant,” she replied, readying her rifle. “Hansen, take cover over by that rock. Brown, get down over by that column.”

  The two soldiers shuffled to their designated positions, kneeling with their heads low. Veronica hurried over and ducked low behind a large boulder to the left.

  “In position,” Veronica said. “Lieutenant, go ahead—do your thing.”

  Jim inhaled deeply before stepping into the clearing. Tilting his head upward, he cupped his hands around his mouth and called out.

  “Hello? Anyone there? We come in peace! We’d like to talk!”

  Nothing. No movement. Silence.

  He tried again, louder this time.

  A blur of motion flickered in the far corner as Jim flinched. Holding his breath, he fixed his gaze on the figure crouched behind a fallen log, attempting to remain unseen. But the log provided only partial cover. With an audible hiss, the figure straightened and slowly emerged.

  As it rose fully into view, Jim froze, eyes widening in astonishment.

  The pale olive face of a woman in her mid-twenties appeared. Her slightly elongated upper canine teeth resembled small fangs. But her most shocking feature was the head full of snakes instead of hair—between twenty and thirty of them writhing across her scalp.

  The woman before them was human from the waist up. Her toned skin, soft and sculpted features—high cheekbones, a slightly upturned nose, and full breasts—were encased in an ornate bronze cuirass extending to her navel. Matching bronze bracers guarded her forearms from elbow to wrist. She was slender, with delicate arms and thin hands, her fingernails long and jagged, as though they'd never known the touch of a proper manicure. But where the armor ended, so did her human likeness. Instead of legs, a serpent’s lower half stretched out, reaching an unsettling fifteen feet, covered in reptilian scales. Yet, there was a beauty to it—the scales clung to her form like a perfectly tailored sequined dress, black with the slightest hint of green.

  Jim was smitten. Okay, definitely not a monster.

  She looked more like a college student dressed in a snake costume, topped with a high-fashion headdress. Even her tiny fangs made her seem more cute than frightening. For someone history had labeled a hideous monster, she was anything but. In fact, Jim found her strangely captivating. Then again, it made sense—no one who had ever seen her up close had lived to describe her.

  The figure emerged from cover and slithered toward Jim, adjusting her height to match his. The AI translator on his chest crackled to life. “Good afternoon! I was wondering if—” She hissed and bared her fangs as her eyes widened. The serpents atop her head writhed and flailed in a chaotic frenzy. Her expression shifted to one of confusion. Jim wondered if she had expected him to turn to stone. Instead, he stood his ground.

  “Hello,” he tried again. “You must be Medusa. Nice to meet you.”

  Medusa attempted a low growl, but it came out weak—almost comical. Jim heard his team let out quiet chuckles. At the sound of their laughter, her face contorted into a furious snarl. Her gaze locked onto the sunglasses covering Jim’s eyes. With a sudden lunge, she reached out, her long fingers clawing at them.

  Jim reacted, seizing Medusa's wrists as she lunged toward his face. Her muscles strained against his grip while she bared her teeth, desperately trying to bite at his sunglasses. He quickly crossed her arms over her chest, creating a barrier between her face and his own.

  Grunting in frustration, she threw her full weight against him, but Jim held firm. Medusa groaned and struggled until she finally relented, panting heavily. When Jim released her wrists and raised his hands in a peaceful gesture, his voice remained steady and firm. "Please calm down. We're not here to hurt you."

  Medusa didn’t respond but lunged again, this time attempting to tackle him to the ground. Jim braced himself, feet planted wide as he pushed back against her assault. Then she grinned, and Jim realized too late what was coming. Her serpentine tail coiled around his legs, binding them together before spiraling up around his torso. Despite his struggles, the coils tightened with each passing moment, and Jim found himself trapped.

  Jim struggled in vain. His eyes darted to Veronica.

  “Sergeant! Do it—now!”

  A sharp pop rang out as two silvery barbs attached to thin wires struck their target.

  KAK KAK KAK KAK KAK KAK KAK!

  Medusa's body seized up, every muscle locking in place. The snakes on top of her head stiffened briefly before going limp and dangling like a wet mop. Her tail, once coiled tightly around Jim, loosened up as it released him.

  Her arms dropped to her sides, fingers splaying open as if pried apart by an unseen force. A grimace twisted her face, her expression frozen in strained agony. Then, like a tree felled by an axe, she tipped over and crashed to the ground with a heavy thud.

  KAK KAK KAK KAK KAK KAK KAK!

  She remained frozen in place, but the sounds continued. With each sharp click, Jim watched her muscles seize and convulse in violent spasms. Her expression twisted from rage to fear, and she screamed. The lights on Jim’s AI translator turned green, and her first words crackled through his earpiece.

  “I yield! I yield! I beg you! Have mercy!”

  The clicking of the taser ceased. Medusa lay still, dazed and trembling. Slowly, she lifted herself onto her hands and crawled toward the cave wall, pressing her back against it as she shrank into herself.

  “Sir, hold this.” Veronica stepped forward and handed Jim her taser, its wires still trailing from Medusa’s abdomen. “Can I handle this one?”

  “All right, Torres, see if you can calm her down.”

  She then edged cautiously toward the terrified creature.

  “It’s okay, it’s okay,” she said, keeping her voice gentle. “We’re not going to hurt you. Just relax, mija.”

  Medusa curled into a tight ball, arms shielding her face, her body coiled in fear.

  Veronica crouched, maintaining a steady tone. Corporals Hansen and Brown stood up and approached from their positions.

  “Calm down. Don’t panic. We just came to talk.” She glanced over her shoulder at the rest of the team. “Guys, back up. Give her some space.”

  As the others retreated, she turned back to Medusa. “Take it easy. Just breathe. Deep breaths. Slow, steady breaths. Okay?”