WE MEET THE INFAMOUS SORCERESS

After endless thanking from Hypisple and her people, we set sail again. Vittoria said we only had four days max until we ran out of fuel, in which case we would have to switch to our homey sailboat, with just enough space for five people, while our speedboat was twice the size. Thankfully, I am not diagnosed with claustrophobia, and so being in such a cramped space will not bother me much.

Vittoria took a turn, and to our right was a cliff. Sadly, what was on top of it was a problem. Brian and I spotted humanoid creatures that looked like bigfoot, except they were much taller. They observed us cruising by and started licking their mouths with a shady smile. "Are those Laestrogyians?" Vittoria stepped on the gas, and we flew through the waves. Those Laestrogyians had rocks in their hands, and they began throwing them. Brian and I worked to defend our ride from those deformed monkeys. I slowed time around us. The rocks got considerably slower the closer they got to me, which gave Brian time to raise a water barrier around the ship. The Laestrogyians became vexed, and each threw down tens of rocks in a fury. Brian struggled to keep up his water wall, and soon our ship would get wrecked, and we would die.

Well, we would have died if divine intervention had not spared us. Thunder roared in the air, which was not a good sign. A lightning bolt struck the Laestrogyians, displacing them into the water below, where they drowned. The sky cackled more and more, and eventually, the entire cliff collapsed. I knew it wasn't a coincidence. Lightning of that scale comes only during a big storm, yet I saw no rain falling from the sky or felt precipitation on my body. That could only mean that Zeus shot down those lightning bolts and that he may have discerned us, our whereabouts, and our objectives. With Brian here, it was like we were announcing to the gods we wanted them dead(but since we always wore our disguises, the thunder god might think we're harmless). It seemed we were safe because no bolts were directed at us as we carried along. Some prayers and hours later, and I began to feel relieved. We wouldn't be getting zapped either, at least not for now.

"Hey, Vittoria, I wanted to ask, how exactly you removed the odor on those women? Didn't you say your power was too weak to eliminate a god's curse?" Brian had been seriously enjoying his time at the Isle of Lemnos because so far, he hasn't attacked Vittoria once, physically or verbally. It made me wonder whether he actually disliked Vittoria, or he just lashed out at her when he was grumpy. It used to be a frequent phenomenon until he decided to lose his virginity last night if he hadn't already. Did boinking women help mellow his anger? If it did, we should have taken his lover(s) with us because the effects won't be permanent, and I'd much rather they were.

Remember how I said I felt relieved a thunderbolt wouldn't fry us anytime soon? Well, it seemed that was true for only one natural disaster. A giant wave rumbled in front of us. We didn't even have time to react before it crashed into us. There was no way to swim out of something this powerful unless you were Brian. Within minutes, I began to suffocate. This was Brian's perfect opportunity to betray us and leave us to die. Yet instead, he gripped my collar and Vittoria's hair and began to ascend to the surface just as I lost consciousness.

I found myself sleeping on the boat, cuddling with a sleeping Vittoria. I got up and rubbed my temples. The two of us were drenched from head to toe, and we would need new clothes. I surveyed my surroundings. We were on another island. Our speedboat was gone, and I was standing on the sailboat. Also, we lost nearly all of our supplies to the water. All we had left were a change of clothes and a bit of food. Since Vittoria was peacefully napping, I quickly stripped right in front of her, outfitting myself with a plain white T-shirt and black sweat. I put on new socks and laced my feet with Nike running shoes. I placed all my wet clothes in a bag and shoved them into my bag, which thankfully was waterproof. Otherwise, I would have a very uncomfortable experience traversing this island.

Next to Vittoria's backpack was a little zip lock bag containing white herbs, the ones called moly. I had no clue what danger I would encounter on this island, and so being immune from magic would be handy. According to Vittoria, all I had to do was eat it, and so I opened the bag and stuffed one of the little things into my mouth.

And I immediately regretted it.

Moly was horrible. My eyes began to water as I chugged the plant down. Despite the atrocious taste, the plant's effects may save my life. I closed the zip lock bag and shoved it into Vittoria's backpack, not wanting to see it again.

Vittoria slowly opened her eyes as she began to sit up. "Yiannis? Ugh, what happened? I feel like a truck ran into me."

"Well, a truck did run into us," I said. "A watery version and it caused us a lot of pain."

"Oh, right! A tidal wave smashed into us! What about our things?"

"Sorry, Vittoria, but it seems like Brian wasn't able to recover all of them. We only have a little bit of food left, as well as our personal bags. You should change your clothes, by the way. You're soaking wet." Vittoria crimsoned, realizing her dripping clothes were see-through. "Did you stare at me while I was asleep?"

"Hmm, no. I did the first few seconds after I woke up, but then I realized what I was doing and turned away. I'll get out of the boat now so you could change without worrying about someone peeping at you."

Where will you be going?"

"Oh, just a few feet forwards. I won't shift my head around, so don't worry. If you think I'm still stealing a glimpse, you can smack me."

"Agreed. Just so you know, I'm slapping you if I even see your head move an inch."

"Got it." While I was waiting, my eyes darted to my right. I sensed something moving there, and that turned out to be Brian. He was waving to me, but I couldn't go to him. Vittoria would smack me if my body rotated even one degree. So, I dutifully waited until Vittoria declared I could turn around. "I'm done dressing. You can converse with Brian now."

This island, if it had a name, was coated with trees. It was like a mini rain forest, with a decent amount of sunlight penetrating through the branches. I wondered why Brian was leading me farther and farther from the ship. There was a low chance of him trying to kill me, but I couldn't rule it out just because of that. He may also want to discuss something in private, probably why I should hate Vittoria too. Or maybe he's going to tie me up somewhere and dash back to Vittoria and kill her.

Brian abruptly halted, and then I spoke. "You wanted me to bring me here for what reason, exactly? Private chat?"

"That's right," he answered. "I wanted to ask you something. What's your relationship to Vittoria?"

"I think you know. We're good friends."

"Is that so? Is befriending a monster a wise idea, son of Kronos?"

"Who knows? You can argue that humans and monsters have been slitting each other's throats for centuries, but there's a flaw to that. Some may look like us, some different, some even ugly, but they share a lot in common with humans. They can communicate with words the same way we do. They possess intelligence on our level, disproving the idea they're inferior. There are monsters other than Vittoria with ichor in their veins. Humans have even mated with them. Hercules wedded a former queen of the dracaena, and he wasn't the only one who fell in love with them. But what I want to point out is that monsters resulted from the god's wrath, who cursed mortals that disagreed with them. They were once humans like you and me, so calling them a monster is frankly a dishonor. The only difference between them and us is that we didn't receive the humiliating punishment from the gods they did."

"Do you plan on recruiting them to our side?"

"Of course. Monsters hate the gods as much as we do, and they'll constitute a large fighting force, which will certainly help in the upcoming war. So, what's your opinion of Vittoria, and why do you hate her so much? I have a feeling it has to be more than just her lineage."

"I'm not sure what happened to you, but I lost my parents to monsters, Yiannis. A pack of crocottas that busted into my home one night and murdered my mother...yet, here you are, asking me to forgive one of them."

"I get why you're mad, but Vittoria isn't the one who attacked you, nor did she have anything to do with it. You're misdirecting your frustration. The only things you should be angry at are the crocottas that attacked you and your mom." Brian paused. His face was clouded in anger, but the emotion faded and gave way to one of compliance. "I don't want to admit it, but you're right about that," he sighed. "I thought Vittoria's blood would soon reveal itself. She may act and look human, but I thought she would behave like her siblings one day until we reached the Isle of Lemnos. That's when my opinion of her changed, and I became more willing to agree with your logic."

"Really? What changed your mind, Brian?"

"The night she performed that mass spell. Kronos might have promised them freedom from their shackles, but Vittoria had no reason to do it then. Even if she refused to do it, Hypisple's followers would have still sided with the Titans, given their hatred towards the gods. She could have just killed them. The people there weren't strong, and there was no reason to keep promises to a weaker group, yet Vittoria did. If Vittoria's monster blood ruled over her, she would have joined that serpent and killing them, yet she didn't. Vittoria instead saved Hypisple and her followers, removed their odors, and didn't even ask for a reward. I think that's when I realized how amazing she was and how disgusting of a person I was."

I didn't expect Brian to wholly confess his mistakes. This may have been just mistrust, but I didn't completely believe him, not yet. He would have to do more than just say he learned his lesson before I could have faith in him. "I see. So you've realized your errors and reflected upon them. What will you do now?"

"I'm going to apologize to Vittoria for all the bull I've caused her. This time, I'll respect all her decisions and acknowledge her authority."

"If that's the case, you should do it now. We're embarking on a dangerous quest, and there's no guarantee as to when Vittoria will die. Better to get it over with sooner."

"Yeah, you're right. Mind waiting here then? It would be embarrassing to do it when you're watching."

"Sure," I smirked. Obviously, I didn't oblige. I needed to see that apology with my own eyes, to verify that Brian meant what he said.

And, he did mean what he said. His apology was so sincere that Vittoria was bewildered and even smiled kindly at him. I had no clue as to whether Vittoria fully trusted him, but to be fair, so far, Brian was abiding by what he said. He was the one who brought us to this island intact when he could have just left Vittoria to drown to death.

I walked over to them, and Brian frowned. "You decided to eavesdrop in the end, huh?"

"Hmm, no. I just got here," I lied. "Anyways, you two finished hashing it out? We have a food shortage to resolve."

"Well, this is a lush island we're in. There has to be plenty of fresh fruits we can find."

"We should do that now before it gets dark," Vittoria fiddled through her bag. "It'll take a while to find enough food for us to last a day, and we'll also have to find enough to survive for the rest of the voyage."

"Yeah," I nodded. "Hopefully, this will be an abandoned island, with no monsters or boobytraps." And as always, my hope is unfounded.

Brian was right in that fruits were everywhere. There was an overflowing amount of blueberries, raspberries, oranges, bananas, mangoes, and avocados. We were so hungry that we ate them on the spot and only began collecting them after filling ourselves to the brim.

Our wanderings were uneventful until we came across an enchanting woman. She was tall and slim and wore a black chiton, with her dark hair flowing down her shoulders. Her green eyes were as shiny as emeralds, and she had a necklace of one on her neck. She casually strolled through the trees in sandals as the three of us observed her from behind some trees.

"Think she's evil?" Brian asked.

"How would I know? We don't know who she even is," I shrugged. "Should we approach her?"

"No," Vittoria firmly stated. "As you said, we have no clue who she is. That woman could be a monster or even a goddess. I'd rather not risk it-" The woman in question stood in front of us, and none of us noticed how she moved so quickly. "Well, it's been a while since I've seen mortals here. The last one was an attractive man who came a thousand years ago."

"Is that right?" This woman was clearly going to be a problem. She could have cut off our heads in an instant. Was she a goddess? If so, we were screwed. "So, what did you come here for?"

"Well, it's rude to stalk a beautiful lady such as myself, don't you think? I was just wondering what to do with you. You didn't plan on attacking me, did you?"

"No." Only an idiot would answer yes, and the consensus in our group of three was to avoid her, which we failed to do.

"Well, I suppose even if you were after me, you wouldn't admit to it." In an awkward moment, my stomach growled. I guess I was still hungry even after our splurge. The woman laughed. "Are you three hungry?" We nodded. "Then I'll treat you to lunch, where I'll hear an explanation as to why you're here."

I knew Vittoria would object, so I hastily agreed, and as a result, she scolded me. "Why the hell did you say yes? Remember the time with Medusa? She could be planning to attack us the moment we set foot into her home, and she'll probably lock us in," she whispered.

"We had no choice. If you hadn't noticed, this woman could kill us in the blink of an eye. If we refused, she might have just cut off our heads and be done with it. And even if she didn't, I'm pretty sure she wouldn't treat us generously. Besides, we would have to deal with her sooner or later, seeing as she lives here."

"But still! Just because Helen isn't here doesn't mean you can take more risks with our lives!"

"Where is that coming from? I care about you too, you know! Just because I may prioritize Helen's safety more doesn't mean I'm picking her life over yours!" A cruel counter formed in my mouth, and it was going to come out, but instead, I shook my head and went against it. "Alright, maybe I didn't make the best decision. But I doubt we can avoid her with things as they are, Vittoria. She'd probably keep an eye on us. But if anything does happen once we reach her house...if either you or Brian gets injured or killed, I'll take responsibility for it. If the three of us come out alive, I'll still take responsibility, and I'll let you make all future decisions." I thought Vittoria would still be mad after that, but strangely she wasn't. Her frown turned upside down. "You've changed, Yiannis. Before, you never would have said that."

"Said what?"

"You'll take responsibility even if everything goes your way. I remember you being overconfident and prideful, like the time I poisoned you."

"Guess you humbled me," I muttered.

"What was that?"

"Nothing. Just because Helen is my little sis doesn't mean her life is more important than yours. That wouldn't be fair to you, and Helen would never forgive me if I did that. It would also suck if you were the one with a cute little sister, and you chose to save her over me."

Vittoria didn't respond. She only nodded.

"What new thought is developing in that head of yours, Vittoria? Do you really not believe me?"

"I do, Yiannis. You've saved my life multiple times before the last time we journeyed together. Sorry for my outburst earlier. I should have known better."

"Yeah. I'm mad at you for that, but I'll stop arguing with you. We can do it after defeating this mysterious woman, although I'd rather our relationship not be strained. Truce?"

"Of course."

It was more accurate to say the woman lived in a mansion the size of an apartment building. There were trees planted on its roof, which I'm assuming was for camouflage since the building itself was composed of only two stories. The courtyard was more spacious than my house, and I had a feeling the kitchen would be too. Once we got inside, Vittoria scrutinized every aspect of each room, like people do when they realize something but want to double-check if they're right. Shock covered her face when we came across an old ceramic vase. It was hard to tell, but I think there were battles during the first Titanochomy painted on it. "Hey, Vittoria, is something wrong? You look startled."

"No, I'm fine. I know who the woman is."

"Seriously?" Vittoria nodded. "She was actually the one who taught me magic," she smiled. "And how to create that vase with only two spells."

"So, she's not an enemy, and we don't have to worry about her, right?"

"No. This woman's more of a second mother to me than anything. I thought I wouldn't see her until much later. I'm so glad that's not the case," her voice broke. I thought she was going to start wailing like before, but she repressed herself this time. "Vittoria, if you need to cry again, do it. I'm not going to make fun of you or anything."

"No. I'll save it for the happy reunion. For now, let's head to the kitchen. Follow me."

The kitchen was twice the size of the room in my old home. There was a large rectangular table in the center, enough to sit five families. I took a seat between Vittoria and Brian as we waited for the deemed foster mother to appear. Sometime later, she came to us holding platters of Greek cuisine. My nose whiffed the scent of yummy taramasalata(fish roe dip), gyros, and moussaka. Brian's mouth was watering, eagerly anticipating his lunch. Only Vittoria wasn't excited, as she just sat with a blank expression. For the most part, the three of us had been eating nothing but fruits and canned food, although seldom we would eat meat(just rabbits). Between us, we never really got to eat enough to be satisfied, nor did we eat anything particularly delicious. This was quality food we were getting, although sadly it was going to be wasted.

"I hope you enjoy the meal," the woman bowed. "Those are some of my favorite dishes, so I thought the sentiment would extend to you."

"It sure does!" Brian shouted. He chomped down on a gyro and began filling his plate with moussaka. I wasn't so eager to commence the feast on my end. Vittoria only paid attention to Brian, who was eating another gyro. She hadn't thrust a single thing inside her mouth, and I was beginning to fret. Was there something wrong with the food? I knew we couldn't trust the woman, but did she alter the food somehow, like place a curse on it? I had suspected she would try to do something to us, and so I had second thoughts about the food she gave, even if I had no doubt it was tasty. If the woman did use magic, I pitied poor Brian.

The woman said she would join us after using the bathroom and told us to help ourselves to whatever we liked. It was something Brian took to heart as he swallowed everything he saw as if he were a wild Kirby. "So good...I can't stop eating...must have more..." His body began pulsating as it emitted a pink light, and soon I was staring at a woodpecker, which chirped as if it were screaming. "Yep, she's the one," Vittoria laughed. "Did you know something was wrong with the food, Yiannis?"

"No, I just conceived your supposed foster mother was up to something. The way you were acting confirmed my suspicions. Why didn't you tell us? Brian has to suffer now because of you."

"I think he's a lot cuter as a bird than he was as a human, don't you?"

"I beg your pardon, ma'am, but I do think this is a problem, and you're partially to blame. Can you turn him back?"

"Yeah, I'll do it right now." A black magic circle formed around Brian, which indicated Vittoria was using a negation spell. Sure enough, Brian was a human again, and he let us know how he felt. "Hey, why didn't you guys tell me something was weird with the food?"

"Well, I didn't know what was with the food, but she did," I pointed at Vittoria. "I also thought it unwise to eat something from someone I don't trust. Do you feel better, or is the curse still affecting you?"

"It's gone for the most part," he gruffed.

"Ok, I'm sorry for that," Vittoria said. "Next time, I promise to advise you when you're uncertain of something, and I'll make sure you stay human for as long as you want." Brian glowered at her, and this time understandably so. I could tell he was going to say something offensive, but he held his tongue. "Alright, you got yourself a deal."

"Thank you, Brian. I won't pull any pranks either." The woman came back, and her jaw dropped. "What is going on here, especially with you?" She tended at Brian. "Did my magic not affect you?"

Brian cracked his knuckles. "You're in for a real-world of pain, you know that?"

"Actually, we won't be attacking her. She's not our enemy," Vittoria dissented. "She's a key ally on our side and someone I cherish."

"She turned me into a woodpecker!"

"I know. But that wouldn't have happened if I had warned you, so I'll take liability. How's this: I'll cook all the gyros, moussakas, and fish roe dip you could ever want right here and now, and they won't turn you into a woodpecker."

"No offense, but what happens if your cooking sucks? Can you make stuff this good?" Vittoria nodded and smiled at the woman. "Yes. We've cooked things like this many times together, isn't that right, Circe?"

Circe was clearly shocked. "How on earth did you know who I am? And what do you mean we've cooked together before?" Vittoria fished out her bracelets from her pocket. "You were there when Calypso gave these to me, remember?" Then she showed Circle the necklace she was wearing, essentially a chain of black pearls around her neck. "You taught me how to make this in your courtyard ten years ago. It enhances the potency of any spell I cast. I realized who you were and where I was after seeing that blue vase you had on display. You taught me how to make that with an elemental control spell."

Circe put her hand on Vittoria's cheek and lifted her face. Her eyes were wide, and she broke into a heartwarming smile. "So it is you. I'm glad you're alive and well, Vittoria. You used a negation spell just now, didn't you?"

"Yeah." Vittoria hugged Circe in a tight embrace, tears welling from her eyes. "I'm glad I got to see you again, mamma. I missed you."

Brian raised an eyebrow. "Mamma? What's going on here?"

"Oh, that woman over there is apparently Vittoria's adoptive mother," I answered. "Well, that's what she said, anyway."

"For real?"

"For real. Vittoria, when you said Circe is an ally, can I infer that she's joined with the Titans?"

"Yes," Vittoria validated. "She's been supplying us with information and potions for quite some time now. She was actually the one who located where Zeus hid your scythe, Yiannis."

"Is that so? Thanks."

Circe peered down at Vittoria. "Are these friends of yours?"

"Yes. You're already acquainted with Brian, and Yiannis here is the son of Kronos."

"The son of Lord Kronos? I sincerely apologize for my actions," Circe bowed. "I've caused you needless trouble, right when you're on such an important quest."

"I accept the apology, but there's no reason to bow to me," I sighed. "I really don't dig the prince treatment. Also, it's not me, but Brian here that you have to apologize to."

"According to Calypso, that boy has constantly belittled Vittoria, so it's only fair that I get revenge on her behalf. When I heard you utter his name, fury overtook me in an instant. It was fun watching him screech as a bird, don't you think?"

"Not really," I smiled dryly. "Brian recently had a change of heart regarding Vittoria, you see. If his wishes are genuine, you won't have to support Vittoria with...such tactics."

"Is that so?"

"Yes," Vittoria answered. "I've agreed to make up for it by reproducing the food here, except this time he won't be turning into an animal when he eats it. Could I cook with you, mamma?"

"Of course," she smiled. "Would you two wait in the living room until we're done?"

"Sure," I nodded.

Circe had no TV or any sort of modern entertainment device in her home, and so I spent an hour chatting with Brian until we were called back into the kitchen. I smelt the same aroma, and this time I could shove the source into my mouth. I thanked Circe and Vittoria for the food and snatched the utensils on the table. The four of us ate like one happy family, and Brian wasted no time gorging everything he saw, making us all laugh.