Level 2

After few hours.

~Prium and Miargos~

"I couldn't believe that we are still alive."

Prium let out finally, walking side by side with Miargos. She looked at the ridge bordering the rift few metres behind them. She looked back at the front.

"If you've actually trusted me on so many things, things wouldn't had gotten this worst. But of course you have your reason for whatever you do and I wouldn't ridicule that."

He maintained, shooting her just a quick glance.

"Are you trying to be sweet and mushy now? Sucks."

She growled and he chuckled.

'"But seriously, what was that thing. For a moment, it seemed as though I was in some myth told by the sages and poets."

"You don't think all the creatures discussed by writers are real?"

"I didn't. But after seeing that creepy creature, there's actually nothing to disbelief or doubt."

There was a brief silence,

"But your dad used to be a poet before he wakes up and the whole mess happened."

She sneered,

"I don't want to talk about him. Every memory of him just annoys me. How could he had been brainwashed. He could had just --"

"Prium."

He cut her short and she rolled her eyes at him.

"Don't you think that that creature is gross? Imagine how he ate all the roots of those trees at just a go. I thought only animals eat the roots of trees."

"What do you mean? Does it look like a human? It's more of an animal of course. It's just like a jaguar Shapeshifting into a Kanima. Or a wolf changing into a werewolf. Or a fox Shapeshifting into whatever name they're called. Werefox. Hehe."

He chuckled too. Not actually because he found it funny, but because he thought that twould be rather belittling to keep a straight face while his crush was cracking a joke.

"Remind me of how we crossed that rift."

There was enthusiasm splattered on her face. He seemed to be getting a grab of what really makes her happy. It seemed to be, having someone who supports her irrespective of whatever she wanted to do.

"Can't remember a thing?"

She nudged him out of the distraction and he snapped back.

"Yea. I think it probably summoned the winds and made them sweep us from that end to this. We kind of floated through the surface of the rift to the other side. And then as we turned..."

"Boom! The god vanished."

She chuckled again. He felt like something wasn't right. Why was she laughing at almost everything.

"You think he was a god?"

"What's there not to think? He's surely not a human."

She argued. He nodded,

"My father once taught me that there are creatures that are on the fences of creation. According to him, the gods are to the right and humans to the left. While there is a great rampart marking a border between the gods and men. But on this rampart or fence are these strange magical creatures who can travel between both worlds."

She took a peek at him,

"What price do they pay then? I'm sure nothing goes for nothing travelling through the worlds."

"I'm not sure."

"You're not sure or you don't know?"

"I don't know."

She pushed up a side of her lips in scorn,

"What do you even know than stalking and freaking a gentle and beautiful lady out."

He cracked up and she glared at him,

"What's funny?"

"Did you just call yourself gentle? You should be the betrothed wife of Argus, the god with hundred eyes."

"Is there such god? Why haven't I heard about him?"

"I thought you said I know nothing."

She rolled her eyes,

"Speak of it if you would or hit your head against one of those trees."

He stopped suddenly and she halted too.

"You want to hit your head?"

She teased. He chuckled and walked closer to her,

"I have an idea. If you want me to tell you the tale of Argus, the god with hundred eyes who kept a guard on Io, the beautiful naiad transformed by Jupiter into a lowing but beautiful heifer. If you want the full details of that story, it won't come without a price."

She sneered,

"Which is?"

"Kiss me."

He pursed his lips after those words, a gentle smile stealing at the base of his lips.

She didn't say a word. Instead, she moved closer to him till their faces were locked. Eyes locked.

"Are you serious?"

He pushed a lump down his throat. He probably couldn't believe his eyes. She leaned forward towards him, bringing her lips closer and closer. He closed his eyes, paving his anxious lips.

And suddenly, she caught his lips between her upper and lower set of teeth. She bit his lips quickly and harshly. He wrenched in pain.

"You witch!"

He cussed as she let go and began to run away towards the cave of Poseidon. She was chortling as she ran through the path and he hurried after her.

After several moments, they got to the cave and they both halted few metres away from its mouth.

"Do not come with me. I'll go into the cave alone."

She said and started walking away. Then she stopped again and turned to him,

"You're mad at me?"

She argued but he didn't even bat an eye.

"Whatever."

She grunted and walked away, the heart of the lion wrapped up in a cloth still clutched to her breast.

She hurried to the cave and took a deep breath at the mouth.

"You got this."

She swallowed a lump and stepped in. She had barely walked in when she heard,

"Things have changed and time is bleeding. The clock of destruction had been set on your land. And in no time, the time would be over."

Twas Poseidon, looking all old with bounty white beards drooping from his jaws. His eyes red and a trident in his left hand, planted firmly in the hard earth of the cave.

"You have no time to squander, mortal. I can see that you had a little help cutting out the heart of the lion."

"Yes, a friend helped me."

"Not him, not your lover. Athena. She helped you. What irony. Lending a hand to someone who would pull you into the pit you're pulling her out of."

He stepped forward, fiery furnace playing underneath his feet,

"Bring the heart."

Even before she could unwrap it, twas snatched from her breast by a force she couldn't place. As far as she was concerned, Poseidon was still standing like several steps away from her.

She watched the heart float through the air and got to him. He unwrapped the tiny cloth and toss the heart into his wide mouth and chewed it quickly. And as soon as he swallowed, fangs sprouted from his yellow old teeth and he was transformed into the hot guy she had met the previous day. He roared and she shuddered.

"Go, mortal. Your request has been answered."

Prium looked away from him down to herself, there didn't seem to be any change. She didn't feel any change within her. But before she could complain, he was quick,

"You will transform. Yes, you will take Athena's form when you lie with the man you can with. The father of your unborn sons which proud Zeus had appointed for you."

She yelled,

"Are you kidding me? Lie with Miargos? Over my dead body. That wasn't part of our agreement?"

"It's simple, mortal. You've chosen your fate. Over your dead body would you achieve what you want to. Lie with him willingly or tarry for fate to break you."

He paused and suddenly, the tempo of his voice deepened and he roared,

"Leave!!"

"You must be crazy to think that I am afraid of you or the --"

Suddenly, blue furnace began to ooze from the walls of the cave, right from where Poseidon was towards her, in crazed velocity.

"You retard."

She cussed but couldn't sustain the rage. The wave of the rushing current swept her out of the cave and she fell on her face outside it.

"That fucker."

She growled and stood up, dusting off dirt on her face. She turned towards the cave again ranting,

"You think this is ov--"

She choked on the words. There was no cave there anymore. Twas just an open space filled with wierd types of red shrubs.

"What!"

She exclaimed,

"Where'd he go?"

She argued, believing that she probably had been suspended in a trance. Then the familiar voice came,

"I have no business with you anymore, mortal. But these are my last words to you! Only sex with him would transform you into Athena. And if you would change back into your old self, still same. But be glad, because at every transformation, your body system would react to it. You'll grow healthier and robust. But--"

And that was it. Dead silence.

"Come back here, you asshole. We are not done yet."

She screamed, ready to burst her throat open, but all she got back was the compressed version the forest was generous enough to bounce back at her.

She gave up trying and turned away. But that was another phase of stress.

"Miargos?"

She called but he was nowhere to be found.

"Where did he go?"

She began walking up the path through which she had come. She was walking as quickly as she could. After few moments, she saw him sitting under a tree.

"That dummy. Lucky you. You'll get to have free sex."

She muttered and walked to him. She got to him.

"Why did you leave me there, what if something had happened? Who told you that you could just leave whenever you want?"

He smiled and stood up, leaning on the tree,

"I won't disturb you anymore. Let's part ways here. I'm a dumbass who doesn't have any worth to anyone. Twas nice stalking you, Prium. Wish you luck with overthrowing Athena."

As soon he stopped talking, he turned from her and began to walk away.

"Stop kidding, asshole."

She called but he didn't wait.

"What's this?"

She grumbled not certain of what to do with herself.

"Wait, Miargos."

She called and hurried after him. She seemed to be the stalker now.