Page 1 of Firebird
THE MYTH OF MEDUSA
Medusa was born a white dragon. She was a lovely babe who grew into a pretty girl who grew into a beautiful woman. She had one, and only one, dream for her life: to worship and serve the gods.
She was overjoyed to be selected to serve as priestess by the Temple of Minerva. The goddess of war and wisdom was the pinnacle of feminine strength and intelligence.
She praised the gods for granting her a quiet life of service, for that is all she ever desired. She reveled in helping others and devoted herself to keeping the temple and altar a sacred place for Romans to worship and beg the goddess for favors.
Her life was good. She was happy. She was blessed.
Until one day, the god Neptune spied Medusa walking along the seashore where she meditated one afternoon each week.
Neptune became instantly entranced by her glossy locks of pale blond hair and her voluptuous body. When she left the seashore, he followed her. He trailed her into the temple, where she went to work cleaning the altar.
Overcome with lust, he violated Medusa on the altar, stealing her virginity with a groan and satisfying release. He walked away without a glance, leaving her in despair and blood and tears.
Her two sisters found her and wept with her for all she had lost, for all that was stolen. Without her virginity, she would be cast out from thetemple, her role as priestess stripped from her. To Medusa, that was a fate worse than death.
The goddess Minerva heard her and her sisters weeping and whispered prayers for help. She descended on a cloud of silver, spreading her dragon wings wide.
“Cry not, my child,” she told Medusa.
“But I am soiled and ruined. I cannot serve you anymore.”
“Yes, you can, my dear. And you will. So will your sisters.”
The goddess drew herself up to her full height, her dragon horns curling more out of her skull, her white tail lashing the air.
Medusa and her sisters stared up in wonder at the powerful goddess, her purple eyes sparking.
“How?” asked Medusa, tears streaking her beautiful face.
Minerva placed a palm upon Medusa’s head. “Neptune saw you and was overcome with his own desire. I will give you power over men so that they cannot do this again. And I will give you more.” Her fingers glowed white where she clutched Medusa’s skull. “I bestow upon you the gift of a sorceress. Like a snake to its prey, you will latch onto any man you choose and pour malice into their hearts. You will be able to force your enemies to feel despair, pain, and loss. You will control them with the magic you hold.”
Medusa gasped as she felt the power bleed into her veins.
Minerva then placed her hand upon the sister at her right side.
“I bestow upon you the gift of the siren. Any man whose blood you taste will fall at your feet and do your will. Even if you command him to die, he will do so.”
Her sister crumbled as the goddess’s power filled her body and blood.
Minerva gripped the head of the third sister, eyes glowing white with ethereal power.
“I bestow upon you the power of Charon’s kiss. Your lips will breathe death into the mouths of corrupt men. Their spirits will suffer for all their transgressions.”
The third sister cried out as the magic wove into her soul.
The goddess stood tall and straight, stretching her wings wide.
“Neptune has done you wrong, my child. For his crime, men will suffer. But none who do not deserve it. You and your sisters will go forth and serve me well. You will punish evil men and damn them.”
Medusa, no longer smothered in dark despair, lifted her face to the goddess. “When will we be done? When is our job finished?”
Minerva smiled, her teeth razor-sharp. “When evil men no longer roam this world.”
So the three sisters went out into the world to do their sacred work. But when they were old and on Pluto’s doorstep, he took their sweet souls, but not Minerva’s gifts. Those powers had no place in the underworld. He sent them back to the mortal realm where they’ve been passed to worthy women again and again, century after century.
Some say that Minerva’s mystical gifts have been seeking the right sisters, the ones to right all of mankind’s wrongs once and for all.
