ic Mazes and Minotaurs

[RocketLord]

GM

 

"Yeah, where is home?" Joey quipped back, before he heard the sound, and headed back to Moira and the others.

 

For his part, Charlie shook his head. "Man, this is just... its too weird. You deal with this kinda thing all the time?" 

 

A woman in the early twenties went away from the group, despite Moira's warnings, leaning closer to the statue. "This shouldn't be possible." Her tone and voice was rather flat, as she studied the statue. "Look, even the clothes have wrinkles in them, and it looks like jeans and a t-shirt, and..."

 

The slithering sound again. And in a moment, the woman stepped back and gasped, the froze, her entire body turning to stone.

[Moira Morley]

Moira nodded to Charlie, "comes with the territory of being a hero in Freedom City. I just happen to get all of the-" She stop talking and quickly reached for the woman who stepped out. "No," she exclaimed with a reprimand too little too late. Now Moira was on high alert. "Again, stay close. And if I were you guys, find a way to hide your eyes."

 

She looked around, the mist obscured what she thought to be a gorgon, a medusa, whatever they called themselves. Technically there was only one and she was slain over 2000 years ago. Then again, gods being gods, didn't mess with the classics. "Hold on," she called out into the mist. "<Do not harm these innocents,>" she said, this time in Greek, "<I am your prey, you'll get nothing from them.>" She looked to the group, speaking in English and a hushed tone, "get your hands and or blindfolds folks. It about to get bumpy in here."

[RocketLord]

GM

 

"I kne-!" Joey's shout at Moira saying she was a hero was cut short when the woman turned to stone before them. "Damn!" 

 

Everyone fell in line immediately, closing their eyes, covering them with their hands, arms, cloth, whatever. Either they had figured out the same thing as Moira, or they just knew better than to question her already.

 

A voice called out from the mists, a hard, jagged voice, replying in Greek. "<There are no innocents, Godling. Do you offer yourself in their place?" Moira could hear the slithering sound from up ahead, even if the Gorgon moved through the mists. She could see a shade. It was not too far away, judging by what she could see... but did she actually want to see the Gorgon, and face what its gaze could do?

[Moira Morley]

Maybe this mist was to her advantage. The again to her disadvantage. She wouldn't be able to see the creature unless it was upon her. "<Right, about that,>" she sais taking a step forward but keeping her distance far enough to make anything but an outline, "<they're not here to be garden variety statues. Neither am I. I know your game.>" She was going through the options in her head. And something caught her, like switching a lightbulb on.

 

"<Now, you can have at me, of course. But I must warn you, I'm not going out like some kind of loser.>" She kneeled down, picking up some of the dust on the ground to coat her hands. "<We're going to do this the correct way. One on one. Refuse and let us walk through, a coward. Accept, and I'll be your only target. The rules of combat.>"

[RocketLord]

GM

 

There was a short pause. Moira could hear slithering sounds from the mists, she could see the shadow move. But of course, the question was, how long would she be able to watch? 

 

"<Fine.>" The voice was still as hard as before. Almost like the Gorgon had gravel in its mouth as it spoke. "<Unless your pets interfere, I will not harm them until you are as still as stone.">

 

There came a THWACK!  sound from the mists, and, as if to punctuate the response, an arrow hit the ground not far from Moira.

[Moira Morley]

"Guys," she said with a cheerful tone, "I'm sure I don't have to repeat this. Again. But don't open your eyes. And, hey, try not to get wild and attack the snake thing." With a quick kick to the arrow, she went towards the shadow of her opponent.

 

As she got closer and the mists were thinner between them, she picked up a swift burst of speed and hurdled herself into the creature. Pounding into it may not have been the best idea as there was a hint of pain, but pain was fleeting. Victory was forever. Instinctively she tried to grab the snake as she hit it.

[RocketLord]

GM

 

The Gorgon shrieked as Moira charged through the mists and slammed into it, but it still held onto its bow, even as it slithered out of Moira's attempts to grab at it. Now that she was close, Moira could see the Gorgon clearly: The lower body of a snake, with dark grey scales. The uper body of a woman, dark green with not a hint of clothes or a want to wear them. A bow held in its hand, snakes slithered around the head in place of hair, and then, as the Gorgon glared at her, she saw its face: A beautiful, dark green woman with shining yellow eyes.

 

And yet, the stare. The petrifying gaze. Could she escape in time?

[Moira Morley]

She tried not looking at the face. She looked at everything but the face. And what a view it was! The freedom of movement and responsibilities these creatures had. Moira would have been jealous if not for the fact that the creature was cursed to turn people to stone.

 

"<Tell me your name, gorgon. I wish to know who I bested in combat.>" she said assuming a grappler's stance, "<I wish to tell the tale of your hubris. Of how you thought you could best me.>" It was a bit repetitive, but she was trying to throw her off guard before slamming both hands into the creature's side.

[RocketLord]

GM

 

<"Yes. Hubris. I know it well."> As the Gorgon moved into the mists, just out of reach of Moira's strike. Moira could almost swear that she saw a fanged smile playing over her lips, before the creature disappeared completely. Not even her shadow seemed visible, and the slithering sound of her movements seemed to all but disappear in the thick mists.

 

And yet, Moira could hear laughter. It seemed to come from all around her. <"Perhaps you should be the one to worry about hubris, Godling.">

[Moira Morley]

"Great," Moira huffed. "Now look at this here snake," she said doing her best Irwin impression, "it's a slight bit scared. I'm gonna have to go in and find it!" She laughed and began walking around the area in speed swaths. Until she bumped into something. If it felt snakelike she was going to try to grab it!

 

"<Yours will come, creature,>" she shouted righteously!

[RocketLord]

GM

 

"Hey, Moira, how's it going? Is it safe to look yet?" Joey, of course. Obviously, listening wasn't his strong suit.

 

The Gorgon remained silent, despite Moira's taunts as she started speeding around the area. She was fast, yes, but even she couldn't scour the entire area that fast. The Gorgon moved around the area, between ruins and mists that she knew all too well, hiding behind anything and everything, and so far, she remained undetected. There was a TWANG! sound, and before Moira could react, an arrow came flying from the mists, somewhere to the left.

 

The arrow hit its target, straight in Moira's left shoulder. She could feel a sting beyond the steel. There was something on the arrow.

[Moira Morley]

"Not really," Moira answered Joey as she wandered around aimlessly in the mist, trying to get her hands on the archer snake. "I mean this mist is thick as soup, but I wouldn't want to be looking at what's hiding in it." She cracked a grin that no one noticed, "but then again, you'll be an art piece?" She called out to the snake she couldn't see, "I assume gorgon statues are very bad quality. No one wants to by ugly art!"

 

She laughed but then an arrow caught her in the shoulder.  It didn't even hurt, just caught her by surprise. She didn't even notice that the arrow was coated with something as it clattered to the ground. At least she had a direction to go in. "How many arrow do you have left? I want to know how many I'm going to stick in you when I find you!"

[RocketLord]

GM

 

"My art is exquisite!" Clearly, Moira had hit a nerve, as another arrow came flying out of the mists, striking Moira's other shoulder. "You will be art long before you will ever find me, godling!"

 

"Moira! Do not piss off the scary snake woman that can turn you to stone if she looks at you!" This time, it was Val. It was a bit hard to tell if she was joking or serious.

 

The slithering sounds kept coming from the mists. Clearly, the gorgon was moving around and shifting her position, but maybe Moira would be lucky.

[Moira Morley]

Moira would be having a grand old time if it weren't for these damned mists. But now she was running around in circles. Maybe? Still, she remained the level headed one of the group and of the combatants. "Listen, Hiss-tina, I'm already art," she prodded the snake with her tone if she couldn't pound her with her fists, "I'm just not going to be standing around waiting for you to-"

 

Another arrow, another shoulder. This one actually almost hurt. She sucked in air as she winced, quickly pulling it out. "Don't worry, babe," she said to Val as she scoured the misty room, fruitlessly again, "I'm sure the snake woman is all hiss and no stone."

[RocketLord]

GM

 

"Yeah, um, maybe... can I do some constructive critque?" It was Joey. Of course it was Joey. "But it kinda sounds like you're just standing there and letting the damn thing shoot arrows at you over and over?" 

 

And another arrow came flying through the mists, though this time it went wide, far from Moira. The gorgon made a hissing noise from the mists, before it was replaced with a chuckle. "Perhaps you are too tough for my arrows, godling, but I doubt that your friends are as strong."

 

The threat was quite clear. Moira would have to act fast now.

[Moira Morley]

Moira watched the arrow fly by, and an idea popped into her head. She dropped to one knee, reaching for one of the arrows that didn't miss. "Oh no," she shouted, sounding like she'd been hurt, "I'm hit! In the chest. It's too deep! I... I can't get it out." She coughed and hacked a bit. "Spare them, please," she pleaded, "I'm. The one. You want." It wasn't her best performance, but anything to get the snake to come to her.

[RocketLord]

GM

 

Yes, it seemed Moira was very much the one she wanted. Moving like lightning, the gorgon moved from the mists. "Yes! You are mine, godling!" She sounded triumphant that the poison on her arrows had done the trick and weakened her prey. 

 

Moira could see the gorgon's eyes as she came closer, shining with an unnatural light. The question was whether she would be able to look away in time, or if it was too late?