Chapter 20：The Last Known User of Medusa's Blessing

"Whatever that's not important right now."

Juno tries to get up from the bed with some difficulty but she manages. She stretches and walks around the room.

"Can I have some privacy?"

She sighs, "That's fine for now, thanks."

It doesn't respond.

-

When she comes back, she picks up her laptop and turns it on.

She finds a piece of paper inside with a message written.

[Don't use the public school network, look up this private network and type this password.]

Okay? Juno, isn't even going to question how Eve got access to this private network. Perhaps she made it herself?

Instead, she follows its instructions and luckily it works. She thinks about what she should look up for a moment.

Juno hears a familiar voice once again ask,

An idea comes to her head and she types on the search bar, [It's a kind of machine and it accesses all kinds of information]

[Yeah no thanks to you]

That sounds like the best idea this snake has ever had. Juno quickly types, [Last known user of Medusa's Blessing]

The first few searches nothing reliable comes up. They're mostly clickbait with titles like:

[Was Medusa's Blessing actually real? NOPE!!]

[Is it possible to marry a Goddess? Well mortals I have some good news for you!]

Just as she's about to edit her search she finds an article that seems reliable, written by a historian, apparently.

[Why haven't you heard of Noa? It's because they don't want you to know.]

She clicks on it and is greeted by a wall of text and proper sources!

-

[[Medusa's Blessing was an important source of power for the Gorgon race. Unfortunately, it came to an end about 2,500 years ago. This phenomenon is hardly talked about now in modern day (for reasons we will later explore) but there are still people debating what truly happened.

Who exactly was Noa?

Noa was a lone monk and the last known user of Medusa's Blessing. He left his monastery at age 30 when he gained his powers. Then, he traveled the lands of Tu'Rancon and modern Torisia in order to help those who needed it.

Tragically he ended up missing at the very young age of 59.

But before we go into the theories of his disappearance, let's get the facts down.

Where was he before he went missing?

Many claimed, proven to be true, that he stayed in a village near the (Southern) Rale Woods. Although, no one witnessed him go into the woods but it's assumed that's the place where he went missing. Strangely that same night something shocking happened, literally, there was a quake that shook the entire region.

We don't know the exact cause but experts are almost completely certain that it wasn't natural. Someone caused it most likely, through 'magical' means. Was he the cause of this? Or was it something else?

And how does this exactly tie in with the snakes?

Well, here's where the theories come in.

[1. Noa went missing in the Rale Woods and died during the ekusquake*.]

This sounds like a solid theory at first glance and it almost does fit perfectly but there's one problem, Noa's body was never found. (That's why he was declared missing and not "officially" dead until 441 years later after his disappeareance.)

[2. A theory to explain his missing body is that Noa was killed by a 'ferocious monster' that devoured him whole.]

This does explain why his body was never found. This monster would have had to completely erase his body from existence. That's beyond terrifying to image but it's not impossible. There are some flaws with this theory as well. First off, he was an exceptional and cautious fighter so there is no way he would have been defeated so easily. Second, sure his mortal body would be erased but what about the Immortal Snakes?

Why were they?

Could a monster truly be so powerful?

The most important question is why he went into the Rale Woods in the first place?

The obvious answer would be that Noa went to the Rale Woods to purposely fight the 'ferocious monster' rumored to be the source of many disappearances. Only to end up the victim himself.

Since this was over Two thousand years ago, not everything is clear but what we do know is that at this time (about 9,540* c.e) there were many rumors of a monster unlike any other seen before.

Or more like unseen.

The thing was that no person had ever seen its 'true form' and 'survive.' Because of that some even doubted it's existence. People disappearing wasn't that uncommon, especially with the other various possible circumstances.

Although, this was a period of time where there were /less disappearances./

Why did people notice then?

Why were there rumors of this 'ferocious monster'?

It was simply because important, powerful, and influential people started disappearing at an alarming rate.

When everyday, normal people go missing, sure it's worrisome but ultimately not everyone will care. When your governor, your prince, your hero or your favorite actor go missing?

Everyone cares.

There was no logical explanation as to why this was happening.

Want to know what was stranger?

Some of them did come back! Unharmed. As if nothing happened at all. But some people around them noticed that the people who were missing were acting 'off.'

"Almost as if they weren't the same person."

These survivors who came back, they eventually fell off the spot light. Some people even claimed that

"They disappeared once again."

"The monster will never let them go!"

There was no doubt something was wrong.

But what?

That's how rumors escalated and common people began to fear for the unknown cause of these disappearances.

The monster was said to devour people whole, leaving nothing behind. If by some miracle the person survived the encounter, they would forget of the monsters appearence. Something in them would break and they would never be the same again. The point being that at the height of the rumors, the height of this 'monster's' fear, Noa was alive.

Everyone knew who he was!

Could he have tried facing off this ferocious and faceless monster by himself?

Or was it the monster that targeted him first?

Could this monster overpower a Goddess' Blessing?

Of course this is all under the assumption that this theory is correct. That this 'ferocious monster' is the cause of his disappearance.

There is another detail that ties them together though.

After Noa and the Immortal Snakes went missing, so did this 'ferocious monster.'

Influential people weren't targeted (as much) anymore. The rumors died down.

Some believed Noa sacrificed himself to end the monster's 'life.'

Some believed that the monster never existed at all.

If some people believed Noa sacrificed himself to save them all, then why wasn't he hailed as a hero?

Why did we forget about him?

He was, for a while. Those who believed he died anyways. But then after a generation passed and there was no new user of Medusa's Blessing, doubts grew in people's hearts. After two thousand years with no sign of the Immortal Snakes returning, gorgons blamed him. Soon they would forget him in order to not give into despair. Not everyone though, some say Lady Medusa took away the blessing because they were no longer worthy.

Some gorgons today believe the Immortal Snakes were just a myth or a form of magic no longer allowed. They don't talk about it as much anymore, due to sadness and shame.

Regardless, Noa is the last known user of Medusa's Blessing.

Finally, the last theory I will discuss is:

[3. He reached immorality and travels the lands to this day in disguise.]

This is a tad outlandish but it could explain why the Immortal Snakes haven't been reborn into a new generation. If he never died, they would stay with him.

There are too many flaws though but the most important one is that, Last Medusa would never, ever allow there to be another immortal with her snakes! It's unfair to other worthy gorgons. It's humiliating to the Goddess herself.

So not many believe in this theory.

In fact, there were only two people who were the most outspoken about him still being alive.

It was no one other than his beloved and his child.

They always believed he would come back to them...

Unfortunately, they also ended up missing a few years later.

...

In the end, whether he died due to the strange ekusquake, or the 'ferocious monster,' or something else, I believe that he deserved far better than what he got.

Or by the small chance, he still lives, can you give us the answers we seek?

What happened to the Immortal Snakes?]]