The city of Medusa, it's not the most beautiful in the underworld, but it is the biggest and the closest to the Styx and the over-world or the Land of the Living. Named after the Gorgon the could turn others into stone of course. I have no name myself, but I was born in the underworld about 18 years ago, and up to this point I have many allies That defend each other and me.
Nearly a year ago it was said that a champion from the four corners of the underworld would come fourth and fight the over-would's champion to the death the outcome unknown, Right now there are only 3 candidates for the champion position: Anguish, Malphas and Me.
I'm not much just a pony with dragon wings and horns that are crocked, also silted eyes, kinda like a snake, and based on my parents that's to be expected, because my Dad is also part Cobra, And his name is Anguish. Yep, my dad is a candidate for champion. The head of a cobra and the body of a scorpion, he said he's a creature called a Krylock by Hades.
Hades is going to choose a champion very soon, however I don't want to be the champion of the underworld, so I'm leaving to the over-world before he picks the champion. Hopefully I can make it to the world I belong in.
The road will surely be a long and hard one, unless I go to the Fields of Asphodel, then it should only take three days, The only real obstacle is Cerberus, how am I going to get past him, her... it? Eh whatever, but it's still going to be a challenge.
"I wonder what the over-world is like?" I asked myself wondering the obvious, starting on my way across the fields on a long and boring journey. The fields are Harsh and empty, so I start talking to myself. "What will the first thing I'm going to do when I get out of this hell hole be? Find some of the inhabitants? or try some of the food sense I didn't pack all that much in the first place?" I just continue on like this for what seems like a week, until I see a river. "That's the Styx." I say knowing I'm almost out of the underworld, however that means Cerberus is also up ahead.
I approach the gate keeper Charon the faerie-man and hand over some of the underworlds drachmas. "I would like safe passage the the over-world, please." I say with an air of life which is unheard of down here. "You speak of a task that is impossible for the dead young soul." Charon replies with a voice that sound like dust and racks with age. Now getting a better look at him he was a skeleton of what looked to be a Were-bat, a large bat with arms that have claws like knives and a face that looked like it was pulled out of a nightmare. "Well what if I were born here, then would you faerie me to the Land of the Living?" I was met with a posture of disbelieving. (He has a skull, no expression) " Is it possible that a being could be born in such a place as this, if so why is it you have not tried to escape sooner?" A logical response, I desire to answer. "I have only now turned 18 and wanted to prepare myself for you'r challenge." "Ah, so you know of the challenge of passage, how delightful." It looked to me his skull twisted into a sinister smile. "Fallow me brave soul, so that you may be challenged by Cerberus himself."
We approached the hell hound by the name Cerberus but it didn't seam to notice me only Charon. " I will get no closer to him do to fear." Charon said as I heard bones shaking behind me. The beast in front of me still did not even seam to care about me only Charon. "This unimaginable, how is it that Cerberus can't sense you at all?" the almost pile of bones said obviously surprised that I was standing right next to the beast six times my size. " well it could be that he not allowed to let the dead leave or the living in, But.." I was cut of by the dumbfounded bone head. "But that would mean you spoke the truth in that you are alive! You are free to go, the passage to the Over-world is open to you and you alone. With the proof that I truly did not belong in this world I set forth onto the next, where I find my new life.
The underworld is finally behind me and life is my new Sovereign meadow. I open the door and step into a new world that I have dreamed of so often as of late and step into the light of peace.
The light is blinding, I've lost all scene of direction and my head is spinning from the air difference. I'm not sure where I am, but I see a color so vary rare in the underworld, Green, perhaps its a common color here. "I could get use to this color." I said to no one but myself. "I wonder what other surprise, will meet my eyes." another voice chimed in to my own surprise. "What!? Who are you!? Where are you!? show yourself!" I demanded taking a closer look the surroundings, the forest was dense and darker then even the door I have just come threw a moment ago, vines seemed to crawl away from the trees like snakes hunting a mouse, and the rocks looked like they were looking at there newest pray, me. A hooded figure came out of the trees like a ghost just appearing out of nowhere, and stood next to a tree that didn't look quite right, as if it has seen all of time and still felt like an infant, the tree had an innocents to it.
"Apologies, Stranger, I mean no harm, I was simply searching for ingredients for my brew, before a horrible storm." Said the hooded figure said again pulling of its hood to reveal that it was in fact a zebra. I've seen a small number of zebra in Medusa but not without a mask on, the only way I knew it was a zebra was from the black strips that ran down her frame, and I say 'HER' because I can now clearly see her stature compared to the zebra from the underworld, she is a smaller zebra then what I've seen in the underworld. I Know that zebras love to rhyme, due to the fact they get board if they don't, so the way she spoke didn't phase me. "I am Zecora, I live in this wood not to far, Now may I ask who you are?" "I have no name, and I'm in search of some shelter, if there is a storm on its way." the zebra gained a kind smile (again rare in the underworld) reassuring me of the new world's different atmosphere. I continue by saying "you said something about not living very far away. Perhaps I could spend the night, if its alright with you Zecora it?"
Zecroa and I were on our way to her home and we started talking about our pasts, it turns out that Zecora has lost her mother because of a Timber-wolf attack at a young age and moved away to the 'Everfree forest' to escape her sorrow, and that up to this point she hasn't succeeded. "I never knew my mother." I admitted to the sorrowful zebra, she seemed in awe about what I have just said, but understanding as well. Zecora and I say nothing after what I said before. About half an hour later. "Stranger?" she asked just using what she called me before as a temporary name. "hmm?" Acknowledging her question. "Where is it you are from, you have the odor of death, and only now do I sense it?" Asked the curious zebra as we were about to cross a bridge that looked older then even some of the trees in the forest, it was suspended over a large crack in the earth that looked like it too went to the underworld, and the feeling was there too. I never answered her question, just keeping it to myself.
Zecora and I spent the next few minutes talking about the local wildlife,( because I asked about it) the manticore nest, timber wolves (which makes a lot of sense to a 'funny' person) even running into a flock of fruit bats. As we approach Zecora's home, I see a tree with a light coming out of it and Zebrican masks strewn all over the place. "Ah, Home is sweat and my brew be waiting for me." Zecora said, obviously happy to be home after a long trip away from home in the first place. I didn't know what any of the masks meant but I had a vague idea of what they meant, 'welcome' and hello'. One of the masks looked oddly familiar to me, the mask just above the entrance to the hollowed out tree. "You see my family mask over the door, my mother wore it to her funeral, I still feel dour." the zebra said noticing that I was looking at it. 'If only she knew that her mother is in Tartarus, because she actually killed her self, by walking into the wolves den and punched the alpha.' went threw my mind immediately.
Zecora invites me into her home for the night and handed me a wooden mug full of tea. "Thank you, for your hospitality." I said upon getting the tea. I hadn't realized just how thirsty I was, until I drank the entire mug in a single swig. "I see you Thirst, perhaps it would be best to go to sleep first." the kind and Generous zebra said, clearly saying it's time for bed. I lay down on the mat zecora calls a bed and close my eyes wondering what wonders this world holds for me next.
