The temple of Athena was a place of sanctity, a haven of purity and devotion. Its white marble columns gleamed under the light of the full moon, and the air inside carried the faint, calming scent of olive oil and incense. Medusa knelt before the altar, her long, golden hair cascading like a river over her shoulders, her lips murmuring a prayer.
She was the youngest of Athena’s priestesses, yet her devotion was unparalleled. Night after night, she prayed, not for herself, but for the wisdom to guide others. Her beauty, praised by all who saw her, meant little to her. To Medusa, it was her service to the goddess that mattered most.
But on this night, her sanctuary became a prison.
The doors of the temple burst open with a deafening crash. Medusa startled, her heart pounding as the sound of heavy footsteps echoed against the walls. The smell of the sea—salt, brine, and something sharp—invaded the sacred air. She turned, her breath hitching as she saw him.
Poseidon.
The god of the sea was towering, his presence oppressive. His ocean-blue eyes gleamed with something dark, and his lips curved into a smirk that made Medusa’s blood run cold.
“My lord,” she stammered, lowering her head, her hands trembling. “This is a temple of Athena. You have no place here.”
He laughed, a deep, rumbling sound that reverberated through the temple. “Do you think your goddess will save you, little one?”
Medusa’s knees weakened as he approached. She backed away, her bare feet skimming the cold marble floor, her mind racing. “Please, my lord. I am but a servant. Leave this place.”
But Poseidon was deaf to her pleas. With the force of a wave crashing against the shore, he reached out and grabbed her arm. Medusa cried out, struggling against his grip, but he was unyielding.
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“No one denies me,” he hissed, his breath hot against her skin.
She screamed, her voice piercing the still night, but the gods did not come. Athena did not come. The marble walls bore silent witness as Poseidon tore away the sanctity she had cherished, leaving her broken and trembling on the cold floor of the temple.
When he was gone, Medusa lay curled on the ground, her body shaking, tears streaking her face. The smell of the sea still clung to her skin, a sickening reminder of what had been taken from her.
The air shifted.
Athena appeared, her silver armor gleaming under the moonlight, her expression unreadable. Medusa’s tear-filled eyes lifted to meet the goddess’s, a glimmer of hope sparking in her chest.
“My goddess,” she whispered, her voice hoarse. “Help me. Protect me.”
But Athena’s gaze was cold. “You have defiled my temple,” she said, her voice like steel.
Medusa’s breath caught. “No. I—I did not… He—”
“You allowed a man to desecrate this sacred space,” Athena continued, her words cutting like a blade. “For this, you will be punished.”
Medusa’s sobs grew louder. “Please, no! I am your servant! I did not ask for this!”
But Athena raised her hand, her eyes glowing with divine fury. The curse fell upon Medusa like a storm. Her golden hair writhed and twisted, becoming serpents that hissed and snapped. Her radiant skin turned to rough, mottled scales. Her eyes burned, a searing heat that would petrify any who dared meet her gaze.
Medusa screamed, the sound echoing through the temple as her body convulsed. When it was over, she collapsed, trembling, her hands clawing at the cold marble.
“You are no longer welcome among mortals,” Athena said. “You will dwell in isolation, feared and reviled, a monster of your own making.”
And with that, the goddess was gone.
Medusa dragged herself to her knees, her reflection catching in the polished bronze shield mounted on the wall. She froze, her breath hitching as she saw the monstrosity she had become. The serpents coiled and hissed, their forked tongues flicking the air. Her once-soft eyes now glowed with an unnatural light, and her face—a face once praised for its beauty—was unrecognizable.
With a cry of anguish, she hurled the shield across the temple, shattering it against the wall.
The gods had abandoned her.
The world would fear her.
And so began the legend of the monster called Medusa.