Beth didn't have to nod in order for me to know that I was right. Her scared face expression explained it all. I was scared too.

     "Come out," said Medusa. "Let's take the picture. Let's not waste time."

     What was I supposed to do?

     Right then, it hit me. The cyclopes! If we kept wasting time, they would catch up to us. One alone was enough to scare me, even if it was blind. But an army!? I'll surely die, no question about it.

     "We need to get out of here," I whispered to Beth.

     She nodded and we slowly began scooting to the opposite side of where Medusa. When we reached the edge, I looked at the glass to see if Medusa was anywhere behind us. Unfortunately, there she stood. Her hair had been replaced by snakes. At least her eyes still looked normal, but I knew that one look and I'll be spending the rest my days as a statue.

     I snapped out of daydreaming about my death and focused back on reality. We needed a way to get out here without getting turned into statues. Unluckily for me, nothing came up.

     I looked at Beth to see if she had any ideas, but I could tell she had nothing too. Then I thought of fighting her while closing my eyes, but I knew that would be an epic fail. 

     "Why not use the glass to fight her?" I asked Beth.

     She thought about it. "Well, that probably would work, but-"

     I ducked behind another row of bushes and looked at the glass. Medusa was still standing there, waiting for us to step from the row so she could turn us into stone.

     "So you already found out about me," Medusa said. "You're smarter than I thought. It's usually too late when other figure out who I really am. Some don't even find out at all."

     "I owe you for this one, Beth," I said under my breath.

     I began slowly walking to the end of the row I was in. When I was about five feet from the edge, I stopped and took a deep breath.

     "Can you just let us go?" I asked. "We have a really important place to be."

     "You think I dn't know," Medusa said. "I got special orders from Mother Earth herself to take care of you demigods."

     "Mother Earth?" I repeated.

     "I think she means Gaea," I heard Beth shout.

     "That's right," Medusa said. "Mother Earth wishes to be risen. Many of her other children like the cyclopes and Titans are rising as we speak. Mother Earth has been saving up her energy for over five decades, and now she thinks it's the right time to take back her world.

     "With the our new secret weapon, the hybrid cyclopes, we will take over the world. But first, we must take care of the puny Olympians gods. The titans are already fighting the Olympians in a war that the gods can't win. Soon, very soon. Mother Earth will be risen!"

     I hope she doesn't realize that she just practically told us the plan of how Gaea was going to take over the world, I thought.

     "And what's in it for you?" I asked.

     "Mother Earth has promised me rule by her side when she conquers the world!" she said in a confident voice, if that's possible.

     I burst out laughing. I laughed so hard I fell to the ground while clutching my stomach. When I had successfully restrained myself from laughing anymore, I stood up and wiped the tears that were now rolling down my cheeks.

     "What was that?" Medusa asked.

     "I can't believe you actually believed her," I said, still trying to contain myself. "I've seen this tons of times in movies. The evil people trick someone into doing their bidding by telling them that will rule by their side. Then when it's all over, they betray them and have them killed, giving the evil guy all the power."

     "Mother Earth would never lie to me!" Medusa yelled.

     I let out a small laugh and said, "That's what they always say."

     "Shut up!" she yelled.

     I could tell she was charging because of the footsteps coming toward me quickly.

     "Three, two, one . . . now." I said.

     "Ah!" Medusa shrieked as the footsteps stopped and I heard something collapse on the ground.

     I stood there for a few seconds when I heard beth's say, "It's okay now."

     I stepped from the row and looked. Laying on the floor was a headless Medusa with her head a few feet next to her facing the floor.

      I walked up to it. I didn't dare to even touch it.

     "The head-" Beth began.

     "I know," I interrupted. "It can still turn you to stone. I know the story of  Perseus."

     She nodded.

     Before we could even move, the earth under our feat began shaking. It sounded like giant footsteps coming toward us. 

      Hold up . . . giant footsteps? Where have I heard that before?

     "CYCLOPES!" I yelled as I scrambled for the exit.

     Something stopped me dead in my tracks when I was almost outside. Over fifty cyclopes stood at the exit waiting for us. When I turned around, I could see that the greenhouse was actually surrounded by one-eyed monsters.

     We were surrounded.

     But how didn't we hear them before. We should've heard them as they approached the greenhouse. It's impossible! It's like they were cyclops ninjas or something.

     "This is not good," Beth said.

     "No kidding," I said.

     "Come out and die!" yelled a cyclops from outside.

     "I could try to fly us out if here," I suggested.

     "You know you can't," she said. "I could tell you were struggling to carry me when I feel off that dragon before."

     I sighed.

     The thought of saving myself crossed my mind and quickly pushed it away. How could I even think like that.

     "How about we fight through them then I can call Speedy to pick us up," I said.

     "Well . . ." she said. "It could work, but there's way too many."

     I thought about it for a moment and said, "Why not find the one that looks the weakest and get past him?"

     "That too might work,"

     "Then let's try it," I said.

     "But what if-"

     I yawned. "You worry too much. Let's just try it. Then we can at least say we tried."

     "Fine," she finally agreed.

     I looked through the glass at the army of cyclopes. I spotted the smallest one from the others. He looked like he didn't even want to be here.

     I pointed at him and said, "Him."

     Beth nodded.

     I jogged in place as a warm up. Then I nodded at Beth to let her know it was time to go.

     We opened the door and charged at the small cyclops with Beth behind me.

     Never in a million years would have imagined that I would be charging into an army of cyclopes. Would you have? Of course not, right? It's way to stupid. But right now it was happening.

     "Kill them!" a cyclops yelled.

     Beth was faster than me and was leading by seven feet. Before we could reach the small cyclops, two other cyclops stepped in front of us. Beth charged at the one on the left, letting me get the one on the right.

     Not wanting to waste time, it grabbed my Lightning necklace, which turned into a sword, and threw it at the cyclops's face.

     It went through its head and eye. As the cyclops turned into golden dust, my sword disappeared and reappeared as a necklace around my neck.

     When I went to check on Beth, she was stabbing her cyclops, making it turn into golden dust like mine had.  

     When we were a few feet from the small cyclops, she tripped over himself and fell down. I almost laughed out loud at how clumsy he was.

     Beth and I passed right by him and continued running.

     Putting both my pinkies in my mouth, I whistled. Almost immediately, a matching sound rang through the air and Speedy appeared from the clouds.

     "Thank you!" I yelled.

     Speedy descended and began flying by our sides. he must've seen the situation and knew it wasn't safe to stop and let us get on.

     I summoned the winds and jumped onto his back with ease. Then Speedy went faster and caught up with Beth who had went ahead of me again.

     I held out my hand on the side. She saw it and grabbed it. I pulled her onto Speedy's back and Speedy began ascending to the clouds.

     When we were in the clouds, Speedy's flying began to become smoother.

     "How many times have you saved our lives now?" I said.

     He snorted and flew faster.

     I laughed. "I love you too."