The silence that followed Medusa's revelation was absolute, a sonic void that weighed more than any scream. Jason, the once-brave leader of the Argonauts, instinctively took a step back; his face, usually weathered by adventure, was now a map of cold sweat and a fear he barely managed to mask beneath a facade of indignation.
"Wait a moment!" he exclaimed at last, stepping back without realizing it. "Am I supposed to fight that?!"
Medusa's brow furrowed instantly, further hardening her features. Her snakes reacted before she did, rearing up with a collective hiss, baring their fangs in a clear and visceral threat.
"I ask you, please" Calliope interrupted with impeccable serenity, barely raising her voice, "do not fight on the stage… yet. Thank you."
In the divine stands, where the gods watched the spectacle, that tension only intensified.
"Medusa…" Athena whispered, her voice low but tense, as if the name weighed more than it should.
Poseidon said nothing at first. He merely observed the scene with a stern, almost stony expression, until his gaze slowly drifted to a point lower in the stands. There was Eris, lounging carelessly; the goddess returned his look with a crooked smile, playful and laden with a malice she did not attempt to hide.
"Spoiled child" Poseidon muttered, with barely concealed irritation, looking away as if that were enough to cut off the exchange.
Eris, far from being offended, settled even more into her seat, crossing her legs calmly and resting her chin on her hand. Her expression reflected a quiet, almost lazy satisfaction, typical of someone who enjoys every second of the chaos she has caused without needing to intervene further.
"Thank you for inviting me to watch the fight, Eris" Asclepius said from the adjacent seat, leaning slightly toward her with genuine interest.
The goddess gave a small start, as if she had completely forgotten his presence. The satisfied smile vanished for a moment, replaced by a grimace of discomfort that did not quite match her usual confidence.
"How could I say no…" she replied in a tone laden with sarcasm, averting her gaze. "Seriously, how could I refuse?"
The physician gave him a shy smile that contrasted with the tension in the air.
"I'm sorry…" he added, adjusting slightly in his seat. "It's just that I'm truly excited to analyze such a peculiar biology as Medusa's."
Eris watched him in silence for a second, evaluating him with a mix of disbelief and curiosity, as if she had yet to decide whether that was fascinating or simply absurd.
"You truly are a unique case" she commented at last, arching an eyebrow.
Asclepius, oblivious to the tone, was already completely absorbed in his own thoughts.
"I wonder how her snakes wor"k he continued, staring fixedly at the gorgon. "If they were controlled directly by her, it would imply an enormous mental burden on her brain. Most likely, they maintain a symbiotic relationship: they would respond to her emotional changes and act as an extension of her will. In return, they would obtain warmth, food… stability."
Eris rolled her eyes with evident annoyance, letting out a barely audible sigh as she leaned back in her seat again. With resignation, she understood that, on top of everything else, this was also going to be a long fight.
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"Very well, participants!" Calliope announced with a vibrant enthusiasm that contrasted with the tension still lingering in the air.
The muse raised a hand with delicacy, and between her fingers appeared a coin that gleamed faintly under the stage lights. She held it at eye level, turning it just enough for both combatants to see it clearly, as if it were a trivial object and not the instrument that would decide the course of the battle.
"Each of you, choose… heads or tails?"
Medusa barely spared the coin a glance. Her expression remained unchanged, almost bored, as if that ritual were irrelevant compared to what truly mattered.
"I don't care" she replied without emotion, shifting her gaze toward Jason.
The hero took a moment to react. His eyes moved between the coin and the gorgon, as if he were still processing the situation, until he finally made up his mind.
"I choose tails" he said, trying to keep his voice steady.
Calliope nodded with a faint smile and, without adding a word, tossed the coin into the air. The metal spun gracefully, reflecting fleeting glimmers with each turn, as if time itself had slowed to prolong that moment. Finally, the coin descended and was caught with precision by the muse, who closed her hand around it in a fluid motion.
For a brief second, silence took hold of the place.
"Very well, participants…" Calliope resumed, her voice now laden with anticipation. "Let us see which arena will be chosen for this battle."
With deliberate slowness, she brought the coin to her other hand and covered it, forming a fist before revealing it. When she finally opened her fingers, the visible side was clear: tails. A faint smile appeared on Jason's face, small but sincere, as if that tiny victory offered him a breath of relief amid the uncertainty.
"Perfect"! the muse exclaimed, raising her voice with renewed energy. "The arena has been selected! The next battle will take place in a setting designed especially for Jason… the mega Argo Navis!"
Both combatants exchanged a look filled with confusion, clearly caught off guard by the announcement.
"The what…?" Medusa began, slightly furrowing her brow, leaving the sentence unfinished.
Without waiting for an answer, the muse extended both arms theatrically, encompassing the stage as if summoning something invisible.
"Combatants!" Calliope interrupted, leaving no room for further questions, as if the confusion were part of the spectacle. "You had better be prepared, because the second battle of the Heromachy… begins now!"
Then, she brought her hands together in a firm, resonant clap. The sound seemed to shatter reality itself, and in the next instant, a blinding flash enveloped Jason and Medusa, devouring their silhouettes until they vanished.
When the light faded, there was no trace of them left on the stage. The arena had changed, and the true battle was about to begin.