"Only the dead walk here," it whispered coming uncomfortably close to Amelia "but you are not dead, you are here before your time. My inquisitiveness does not allow me to end you just yet. Tell me an interesting story."

Amelia narrowed her eyes as she stared at the creature, sizing it up. It must have been bored to death in this cave, it wanted her to entertain it.

"If I tell you, will you let me leave this cave alive and peacefully?" Amelia bargained walking closer to the waterfall, for a second she thought she had seen a snake crawling on the walls.

"I might consider it." The creature hissed.

"Lilith sent me." She declared deciding it was better to not tell it about going to Hell's castle. The little it knew the better.

The creature's face disfigured almost as if it was trying to smile and a loud grumble was echoed through the walls of the cave, "Do you really expect me to believe you met Lilith and lived to tell the tale, earthling?"

"Did you not want an interesting story?" Amelia retorted.

"But not a ridiculous one." It waved off.

"Will this convince you?" Amelia showed him the stone.

The creature examined it and suddenly grew silent, "yes it has, you did meet her." And before Amelia could comprehend what was happening the creature lunged onto her.

Amelia fell onto the ground back first with a loud 'THUD'. The creature was now sitting on top of her with his scaly hands around her neck. She couldn't decide if it was his massive weight that would crush her before he managed to break her neck.

She could not move and she could not think. All she knew was that she was dying. Until the creature suddenly went still, it's eyes started bulging out and slowly a snake slithered from inside its mouth.

Amelia thought the snake would come for her but it started to wrap itself around the slimy creature's neck and before she knew it, the creature got off her and started trying to rip the snake of it.

Another snake came out of its mouth, then another one and another one until its body was covered with snakes and just like that, the monster that was trying to rip her head off fell into the water, never to swim out again.

Amelia was shaking, a terrified expression on her face and her nails digging into the acidic soil, looking left and right for the snakes to come after her until she found something standing in the shadows.

Amelia tried to stand up but her legs gave away and she fell back down again. She wanted to escape but it was like her body was no longer her own.

"What do you want from me?!!" She screamed into the shadows, "you don't think I can handle a bunch of snakes??!"

"Is that how you're going to thank someone that just saved your pathetic little life." A woman spoke with a melodious voice slowly stepping on of the shadows.

Amelia first saw the bare and fragile human like feet, the long black dress, then the snakes hanging down her back but suddenly the voice stopped her.

"Don't look up any further unless you appreciate turning to stone my dear. My eyes are only for my enemies to look into."

"Does that mean I'm not your enemy?" Amelia asked looking onto the ground not willing to risk it.

"As of now, no." The woman walked towards her, my pets have been following you for a while now, you will never reach Hell's castle with the rate you were moving at and if you even do make it, I doubt your weak and tired body could overpower the overwhelming forces within it.

Amelia's eyes widened. She had been very careful and alert that no one was watching her but she had been so easily fooled.

"If you're not my enemy and you've been watching me before I entered this cave, a warning would've been nice." Amelia sneered.

"Yes it would have." The woman hummed dismissing her. Amelia had still not seen her face but she could imagine it. It would have looked like darkness.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" The woman asked "we have places to be and castles to burn. Lilith despite her cunningness lacks patience. Maybe that is why we get along."

"Do we?" Amelia laughed, slowly getting off the ground, "Lilith never mentioned a side kick."

"Lilith has her reasons." The woman quietly whispered as she walked towards the wall of the cave. She gently extended her arm and with the gentlest of touches caressed the wall and the wall fell. And boy did it fall.

Amelia's jaw slightly dropped, a moment she would later deem as the most humbling, awe striking and infuriating moments of her life.

"My name is Medusa. And never call me a side kick."