I dare not call them my friends as I still live in fear that whatever curse is upon me will also kill those I hold dear, but the party have yet again saved my life. Calliope’s song revived both me and Theo, whilst Hippofilius, Braz and Helikaon’s advance kept us as safe as possible from the oncoming centaur onslaught. It’s not just the debt I feel I owe them, but also the assurance that wherever we go next, they will have my back that sway me to agree with their plan to head to the Mithral Forge. Where a dark demon with eyes like the pits of hell itself, a thrall of Lutheria lies. I can only hope those two lives I have left will be enough...
...scribbles - a bit like someone started a sentence but was too shocked to continue…
[written in the morning]
I am certain this will sound mad, but I have made a new friend last night. And no, I don’t mean Loreus! Remove yourself from the gutter dear reader...
As I sat writing my journal last night I can see something in the corner of my eye and within moments one of my snakes just slithers down my shoulder only to stop on my writing parchment. Entirely detached from my head. And… says hello! Well, not ‘say’ as much as I can hear its voice in my head. Gobsmacked, I’m still not sure how long I stood there in shock… you see: a medusa’s snakes don’t really have their own personalities or individuality, they are part of her, so talking to them is nothing short of madness. As I do try to keep telling Theo...
But this isn’t one of my snakes. His name is Achlys but he prefers Slippy as apparently many have mangled the pronunciation of his name in the past. He can’t say mine for the life of him, so I can rather relate. I can hear his thoughts in my mind, just as I think he may be able to hear some of my worries. Slightly cynical about the world, but also remarkably excitable, especially when it comes to food - his voice in my head is really refreshing. And reassuring so I finally sleep after days of trance and wine induced coma. Whatever magic brought him about, I am thankful.
Yet, what if I am mad and this is how I am coping with everything that’s happened? I need to check with Theo, maybe he’s read about situations like this, or maybe Hippoffillius, he may know about snakes. If it is madness, I can think of worse situations to be in.
P.S. Something happened in the throne room yesterday. I remember listening to Calliope’s story about Stellios and Woodhike and then turning to the water font by the throne and realising that I was inadvertently acting all the story out with enchanted blobs of water. A parlour trick, but one I’ve not been able to do before so who knows how it may scale up or come in handy.