LYSSANDRA

  This time, the snake was nowhere to be found. I could search on each corner, or even above, for the sharp stone, but he was not there. My hand reached down to the fallen weapons and took one long bronze spear. If the snake were think to attack me, I must be ready. And my gaze drew somewhere else its attention, right to a bush that had blooming glowing herbs.

  Are those…

  I kept walking and walking with my mouth turning drier, my hand getting heavier, and my heart…

  And then I thought of what Paris said. The king of the gods is after me, he is furious. Once again, Apollo was nowhere to be found. I shamed him and he is not hunting me down?

  I wonder if I will die and go to the Asphodels if he appears as a punishment for me.

  Keep walking, woman. You still have the strength, keep walking.

  Looking down, I found the stone that I had picked before. That means I was close to the lake. Looking at the stone again, it gave me a thought. Paris did say that they were harmless but what if they could protect me?

  Help me, the voice echoed to the walls.

  Now it was just me, holding an old scourge spear and Ouranos’ semen. Perfect.

  The dream that I saw kept haunting me with the deer boy eating Python. Instead of giving him a quick death, he punished him for eternity. And for what?

  Help me.

  I finally ended up at the lake, where once again there was none to be found. Why did he retreat? He was all hunting us down before. Why was he backing down?

  ‘’Python’’I whispered, wishing he would appear. Nothing.

  ‘’Show yourself son of Apollo’’My voice echoed and I clenched my spear even tighter. Once again, no response.

  Where was that stupid snake?

  And then, a thought lured my mind as I looked around. Third time's a charm.

  ‘’Python, Son of Gaia, Serpent of Delfi’’One deep breath.’’I am here asking you for your sign.’’

  I did not have to wait for an answer as water fell right above me, and the light almost vanished. Looking up, I found a great Python with scars marked on its scales that were slowly getting healed. He went inside the lake to heal and baited me to come as he was now back all powerful.

  ‘’Another bride’’His heavy voice sounded all annoyed as if he had had enough of everything.

  ‘’Go on, plead for mercy, cry.’’

  It took me a while to realize that he was speaking. The serpent was speaking. And he was not eating me. Not yet. Why was he so annoyed?

  I let my spear down and faced him.

  ‘’I am no bride’’ I admitted.

  Python’s eyes opened curiously. ‘’What are you then?’’

  What should I tell him? Would he believe me? But his round eyes turned to my arm.

  ‘’Oh, I see we faced before, haven’t we?’’ He nodded and the thoughts consumed.’’You are that Lyssandra, Leto is blabbering about.’’

  Great, he knows me. I shook my head and showed my hand.’’Are you not going to kill me?’’

  ‘’You are already dying and besides.’’His head rested on the rock.

  ‘’It’s been a while since someone called me by my titles.’’ It felt like the snake was smiling and it gave me a sign of warmth.

  I sat with my legs crossed and waited for him to speak. Maybe I could buy time like this, catch him off guard.

  ‘’You look strange.’’’ He hummed, letting his tongue out.’’God's cut your tongue?’’

  I shook my head.’’No, if you are just an actual legend, I can’t believe it.’’My face fixed a wide smile of joy. ‘’That I am talking with you right now.’’

  Python scoffed.

  ‘’May ask, how did you end up here? The stories said that you died.’’

  ‘’And others that I became Apollo’s child.’’He continued and took a deep breath.

  ‘’I was a peaceful snake once, long ago. But when Leto was expecting, the Queen found me, commanding me to find that woman and kill her. I searched the earth and sea, but I could not find any sign of her. Once I told it to the Queen, she ordered me to never stop. Never stop until I find my goal. And so I searched and searched. Centuries passed when I began to rest at Delphi, trying to catch a breath. And that’s where I heard the sound. That beautiful melody of the lyre. It was itching my head, my aching soul, everything. There were dancers and musicians creating a ceremony, so I followed them to see pretty closely what they were doing. When they saw me, I was welcomed with screams and cries. Who could have imagined a snake like me visiting them for the music? And suddenly another string of the lyre appeared. A beautiful antagonizing music that made my chest wrapped tighten.

  My eyes looked above the trees to find a little deer boy playing the lyre gently. Just by the look of this boy, just his simple existence made me go after him.

  That was the moment my hunt would finally begin. And once he was dead, it would be over, and I could actually rest.

  But the hunt took days, weeks, decades. I tried to weaken him by destroying his temples, starving him to death. However, starvation gave him a different kind of strength. Have you ever seen the wrath of a god? You look pretty young so I suppose no. And I hope you never see it. Their hubris boils their skin, eyes monstrous.

  When he hurt me, I thought that it was finally the end. Maybe death was the answer. That is what I wanted. And yet fate forced me to live as one of his sons? I was a toy for him, and it was a punishment for me. I simply wanted to die. To find a way to leave him. So, I ran far away from him, hiding in a deep cave. But even now that I was far away from him, his voice, his pleadings for help, are echoing in the cave.’’

  Help me.

  ‘’ He is haunting my soul’’Python wept.’’But he never visited. Sometimes I decided to get out and eat a ship or some foolish mortal, but I did not need to eat a lot. I managed to control my hunger. And then, the woman with her flock of golden sheep appeared. Telling me that my so-called father needs my help. For so many moons, I heard pleading, cries, screams of women and children, men who were just down there for money. Have you ever heard someone’s screams while you were swallowing them down your throat? Their struggles, their fight to get out of your close stomach. Their prayers to their gods for the only salvation were the pain of the acid of my organs, melting their flesh and my mouth, spitting their bones. Because after that, their souls could wonder to this world forever. Because of me. They all met me until she would tell me to stop. Until you would come.’’

  The story has been taken without consent; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  My heart dropped as I heard those words, and my gaze turned to the spear.

  Because. Of. Me.

  ‘’I understand, you want me dead’’

  Python shook his head. ‘’No, Lyssandra, I do not’’Python moved his head around me.

  ‘’Because you understand me. Perhaps the only one who dies at this moment.’’

  I flinched.’’And what do I understand?’’

  ‘’Gods are cruel, they are expecting everything from their servants, they are expecting us to die for them. Their mistakes are often justified. But what happens when you are making mistakes?’’

  You get one of Zeus’ lapdog priests to attack and to punish you. Leto asks you a question and you answer correctly. However, you are the wrong person to answer correctly and her pride got heated. Once again, Zeus sends another creature to punish you, and you…

  And before even that, you pray and pray until you realize they will never answer.

  ‘’If you are not a king or one of their children or a hero, they won’t even notice you. I rambled out, and I felt my strength giving up.

  Python hummed.’’How about we make a deal?’’He hissed at me, and I looked above him.

  ‘’I actually like you, Lyssandra. So I will let you go and I will lie to Leto, telling her I ate you.’’

  My gaze widened with hope.. That would mean he won’t kill anyone else. I could lie again and tell them that Python is dead. And that will be it. I could die in peace…

  I could…I would die. I would be dead, and my goal would be unreachable.

  ‘’I will let you go after you summon Apollo here.’’

  What? My shoulders fell as I stood on my two feet.

  ‘’You are an oracle, aren’t you? He will come for you’’

  I shook my head. He wouldn’t. I prayed enough times to know that he wouldn’t come.

  ‘’Now, now, oracle, ask him, pray to him.’’He moved closer and closer, and I found the chance to grab the spear.

  ‘’Python listen to me’’My voice shook. ‘’He won’t come. Apollo will not…’’

  Help me.

  ‘’Oh, but he will, I know that he will.’’His breath let out a rotten smell that could even kill me.

  ‘’Every time I was losing him, I could lure him out by eating a few of his priests, and then with his bright bow he would appear.’’A laugh. ‘’Maybe’’His mouth opened wide and moved right to my side.

  Now.

  I dodged his attack by turning right and my entire strength was given to the spear as it fell right to the nose of the snake. Python growled out loud, hitting his head back against the stones. That was my chance to run.

  I jumped right back to the ground away from the rocks and tried to run faster and faster. Sweat showered my body as an arrow of pain fell right to my heart. I began to lose everything. My head became even lighter. But I had to run. I had to buy time.

  And then I fell to the ground. My entire body burned from the pain, and I tried to crawl my way out. However, Python had other plans as his tail wrapped around my foot.

  ‘’No, no’’I muttered as I was dragged right back. The tail coiled even longer as it began to wrap both of my legs, and when he lifted me higher, my waist and back were completely covered by the hard skin. Thankfully, my hand was still free and I could still hold the stupid bright stone. I tried to hit it again and again, but nothing happened until it fell right to the floor.

  Screaming out of disappointment, Python decided to wrap his tail even tighter.

  ‘’Now, call Apollo little Oracle. Call him and I will kill him finally myself’’

  I kicked my feet to thin air.’’He will not come.’’I spat.

  ‘’He will’’Python’s tongue got stuck out again. ‘’A precious woman like you, he will come.’’

  ‘’Why do you want him dead?’’ I asked, but his deep green eyes held the answer. It was a blaze. Dancing flames of hate. My lips parted.

  ‘’He won’t come’’I spoke this time peacefully. ‘’Stop waiting for him.’’

  ‘’Liar.’’ He hissed, one of the few times I spoke the truth.

  ‘’He will not, and you have to stop waiting for him. Sto hating him. It consumes you’’I yelled out.’’And your life will only be about him, your goals will be about the man who wronged you.’’ Tears fell from my face. I couldn’t kill him, could I?

  ‘’I will not forget what he did’’He hisses again.

  ‘’I am telling you to live’’I kept screaming, listening to the echoes.

  The snake faced me in silence as my entire body was aching.

  ‘’You are right, Lyssandra’’He whispered, and I felt a second of relief.

  ‘’I will live the moment he is gone.’’And with that, he moved me closer to his mouth.

  I was a hero or a warrior. I was no prince. I was not even a priestess. I was a stupid girl surrounded by hate. I could never win. I could never kill the snake, and I could never kill any god. I was not even an example.

  I simply waited for my end until someone pushed me away with all of his strength. Opening my eyes now I could see Paris, who was landing me on the ground, his face painted with sorrow.

  ‘’Oracle’’His lips shook, and they did not move in a way of talking. I wanted to speak. To talk to him. But I had no strength. Why was he here? My mind was too heavy to think about. His gaze stood more as if he was about to cry.

  ‘’Please, Oracle, stay alive.’’

  Why was he pleading so much? What could I offer to him?

  Python finally screamed, echoing to the entire cave with the upper stones trembling even more.

  ‘’Who are you?’’He hissed again with all of his strength. But I could listen to his breath turning heavier, his words rattling out. And Paris’ hand was trembling like a leaf. Why was he so afraid?

  ‘’You are no mortal’’He muttered. ‘’Where is he?’’His voice was heavier as his body lifted higher, moving at the great upper stones. He could eat us now if he wanted. His scales shine like a million pieces of armor. Eyes flaming with hatred. I couldn’t be surprised.

  He was the serpent that hunted Apollo.

  ‘’Where is Apoll-’’His words cut off as he moved his neck back.’’What…’’ He was losing his balance. And the stunned serpent faced me, who was now showing my stained green hands. Paris looked at them, shocked as Python began to shake.

  If I could not poison him, I could make him sleep. The herbs that I plucked earlier were heavy narcotics that could make an entire army sleep for days by using one petal. Rubbing them to the spear and with one attack.

  I didn’t think that it could work on that snake, but making him furious was a way to increase the flow of blood to the heart, and now….

  He moved his tail around the rock, around the ceiling, with his body making the sharp stones fall to the ground.

  ‘’Call him oracle’’Python screamed.’’I won’t die until he dies.’’

  Paris grabbed me tighter.

  ‘’No’’I spoke calmly, pushing Paris away. I had barely a day left to live. I was sure of it. I forced myself to stand on my own as I watched the serpent’s rumbling destroying the cave. He was forcing himself.

  ‘’Oracle please’’He shouted, and my heart beat fast to those words.

  ‘’Lyssandra, please’’ His head hit another sharp rock.

  I could finally see the despair in his eyes, tears dripping from his hard armor. And it was simply perfection. A smile curved to my face with a sharp stone finally falling on the snake’s body. Screams echoed again, causing more stones to fall,and they were enough to fall on me.