[written at lunch time]
This morning felt uneventful, at least compared to the previous day. I’ve reached the point where I don’t want to think any more, so the distraction of this picturesque village has been most welcome. My mind still hasn’t settled and I think I may have over-reacted worrying about Theo as he came back all wet from the stream. Just a few days ago I was naively thinking this curse fell on all those I care about, family, friends, lovers. Now I know different, the curse is firstly mine, but I would not put it past Lutheria...
The rest of the day finds us saving a friendly cyclops from bullying bandits. The wickedness of men. Yet finally using my spells has brought back some of my confidence. It’s been so nice to not to be under vines and masonry.
P.S. Loreus, sweet Loreus... I’m not blind and I don’t think he’s just taken a liking to sitting next to Calliope, as much as his crush seems to cheer her up. It’s flattering, I cannot deny it, but solving the curse and saving the whole of Thylea comes first. I cannot live my life chased by vines and goatlings…
[written later in the day]
What happened in that temple is tormenting me still so I cannot sleep and all my energy seems to have waned. The prophecy clearly said I would die three times and I know… well, I think, I’m not that sure about those moments, that just as I fell I shouted to spite Lutheria that she still needed to kill me a second and a third time. But maybe up until then I never took the prophecy seriously, I thought it was just one of those stories that tease you with promises of greatness, a fate of heroism and vicious foes. Or maybe the very reality of death has been too much for me to process.
The scythe on my hand is a stark reminder of what happened: that I am alive both thanks to and in spite of a black-hearted titan. A bit like the punishment of Prometheus, whose liver re-grew every day only to be eaten again and again by a raven. A story from a faraway world that I found in the monks’ library, but one that makes a great point about the pettiness of gods and titans. I can only hope my feats will be even remotely comparable to his.
From a far more practical point of view, at least we know I have two more lives. And that all of Lutheria’s minions will just come for me, which allows us to use different tactics in any future battles with her servants. I just need to try and not die, at least not more than once! I can only hope there won’t be more vines, I’m sure those would be tormenting my dreams if death itself wasn’t.
I am myself, I am sure of that and will do my best to prove it to my companions so doubt doesn’t linger. But I am a different Alke than two days ago. I thought this quest would be just one of many adventures in my life, but now I am more than motivated to spite the titans, not just small-minded Sydon, but also my nemesis Lutheria. Yet, at the same time, I feel vulnerable. Being mortal is not something many of us want to be reminded of and most definitely not in this way. Especially a medusa, part of a race that has centuries-long life spans. So, first I need to come to terms with that…