Heracles, having accepted the invitation to the adventure, was preparing the gear he might need for the upcoming battles, while Morpheus, who had already made his preparations, was eager to set out.
Medea, however, was puzzled by the string of stories Morpheus had shared about the past.
"Is this Jason an idiot?!" she exclaimed. "It's obvious this is a trap, and he just agreed to it? The man who killed his father... not only does Jason trust him, but he thinks if he reclaims the throne and hands over the land and wealth, Pelias will gratefully comply?!"
Her reaction was not just confusion but laced with disdain.
"This isn't just a matter of being foolish... it's like his brain was smashed by something, causing severe mental deficiency, probably already rotted away!"
At this point, she even began to doubt someone she hadn't previously thought much about.
"What kind of teacher raised him? Is Chiron really as great as they say if this is the kind of person he trained?!"
Perhaps due to spending so much time with Morpheus, Medea's attitude toward the gods had shifted. While she still respected gods she met face-to-face, for someone like Chiron, who had lost his divinity, she didn't hesitate to question and mock him.
Morpheus, somewhat exasperated, responded, "Shouldn't you be more worried about your own father right now? The Golden Fleece is under his control. If it's taken, those dissatisfied with his rule will have an excuse to rebel."
Medea planted her hands on her hips. "No worries! With me here, they won't succeed!"
Her confidence in her own abilities was evident. Morpheus suspected that if he were to disappear, Medea could become the new ruler of Colchis. Blessed by Apollo and wielding a portion of his divine authority, her current strength was among the greatest in ancient Greece.
Moreover, as a priestess of Babalon, she possessed the power of the supreme feminine force, untainted by the Root's influence. She was more than qualified to become a queen.
But then Medea grew puzzled again. "Why would Hera help Jason? It can't just be because he carried her across the river once, right? That sounds like an excuse!"
Morpheus shrugged. "In the past, Pelias and his brother killed their stepmother to save their own mother."
Medea frowned. "So what? Even if she was Hera's kin, that doesn't seem like enough for her to hold a grudge..."
Revenge was commonplace, hardly a reason for divine retribution.
"It wouldn't have been a big deal, but they chased her down, and she fled to Hera's temple seeking protection. Temples are sacred ground, yet those two barged in, killed her, and didn't even apologize."
Medea finally understood why Hera sought vengeance.
Pelias had desecrated a god's sanctuary and shown no remorse. The fact that Hera waited so long to retaliate spoke to her magnanimity.
Even better, if Pelias had accepted Jason's proposal, he might have lost nothing!
"I have a feeling," Medea said, "that Pelias's greed for power will lead to a miserable end... even if he's Poseidon's son."
Meanwhile, Morpheus was lost in other thoughts.
If his knowledge of Greek mythology still applied in this world, Pelias had overthrown Aeson and seized the throne with Zeus's help. Later, he exiled his full brother Neleus, who had challenged him for the crown.
Neleus, after being banished, settled in Messenia and became the progenitor of the kings of Pylos, thriving on his own.
Pelias had indeed governed the kingdom well, but his greed ultimately led to his downfall. From this perspective, it seemed Zeus had intervened to replace him with a more suitable king to prevent the kingdom's collapse.
But these details were no longer important. No amount of speculation could change the fact that the Argo's expedition was about to begin, with Medea's father as the primary antagonist.
After all, Ares himself had issued an oracle: "While the Golden Fleece remains, you remain. If it's gone, you're finished." Even if Morpheus and the others assured him, "The Fleece can be gone, and you'll still be fine," Aeëtes would never believe it... not when it was a divine oracle!
Morpheus suddenly muttered, "Ares didn't kill him as per the oracle... just let him die of old age? So, did he retract the power of longevity?"
"What? What did you say?" Medea immediately leaned in, curious.
Artemis, overhearing Morpheus's comment, smiled faintly. "Your guess might be correct!"
"Why 'might be'?"
"Because I don't know for sure. You'd have to ask Ares himself!"
Seeing Medea still confused, Morpheus explained his thoughts. Medea nodded thoughtfully. "That makes sense. If the oracle says my father lives as long as the Golden Fleece is with him, then as long as he holds it, he won't age or die.
"But if the gods don't want an immortal human, they'd find a way to revoke the blessing. Since the blessing is tied to the Fleece, taking it away would mean the gods aren't breaking their promise."
Morpheus looked at the calmly analyzing Medea and teased, "You don't seem to care at all about your father growing old and dying..."
"Birth, aging, sickness, and death are natural!" Medea said with a grin. "Besides, even though you try not to say too much, I can sense things."
Her expression grew serious as she turned to Artemis.
"Moon Goddess Artemis, I have a question."
Medea rarely addressed Artemis so formally, especially since they had grown close enough to see each other unguarded.
This meant she had something significant on her mind.
"Are the gods planning to abandon humanity?"
"I don't know," Artemis replied, shaking her head. "I'm not too concerned with such matters, but I can assure you, the gods... at least the Greek gods... will never abandon humanity!"
Her assurance was firm and resolute, but just as Medea wondered if her guess was mistaken, Artemis added, "The gods love humanity, you know. Sometimes, letting go is necessary, don't you think?"
Medea finally understood. Her guess was off, but not entirely wrong. The gods weren't abandoning humanity... they were letting go, allowing humans to forge their own path.
Like a child growing up, no longer bound by their parents, free to strive and progress.
"Though my brother likes to hide what he sees of the future, I know a bit," Artemis said with a playful smile. "The future belongs to humanity. The world of the future belongs to humanity! It does not belong to the gods!"
Hearing this, Medea smiled. She glanced at Morpheus and shook her head. "If a king lives forever, they become the greatest obstacle to the human world. So, that blessing must be taken back."
Everything now made sense: why the King of Colchis, who should have died when the Golden Fleece was taken, lived until a natural death.
In this tale, those who crossed unforgivable lines met tragic ends.
Neither Jason, Medea, nor Pelias had a truly happy ending.
But now, the story was just beginning, and key elements of the plot had already shifted dramatically.
Medea was no longer the princess waiting in Colchis to fall in love with Jason at first sight. The current Medea was an experienced magus who had met gods, including the love goddess who was supposed to manipulate her into falling for Jason.
Most importantly, the Argo's journey to Colchis now included three additional members.
Morpheus, Medea, and Artemis!
...
Heracles looked at his sister with exasperation. Adventures were supposed to be full of opportunities but also dangers. With his sister and Morpheus along, no danger could possibly threaten them.
Or rather, the real danger was to those who might have posed a threat... they were the ones in peril now.
A goddess disguising herself as a human to join a mortal adventure!
A moon goddess frolicking on Earth... what a dereliction of duty!
But Heracles could only think these thoughts, not voice them. Not only was Artemis his sister and kind to him, but he couldn't even beat Morpheus in a fight, so speaking out would be pointless.
As for Medea, her magical prowess was extraordinary, and her skills had advanced rapidly. Compared to their encounter with the giants, she was far stronger now, and rumor had it she'd even slain a dragon. If any crisis arose on this journey, Medea alone could likely handle most of it.
"Don't worry, I'll only show the strength I'm supposed to," Artemis said, patting Heracles's shoulder with a grin.
Morpheus chimed in, "I'm just an ordinary human adventurer. Nobody even knows me... nothing to worry about."
Medea, donning her hood, added sweetly, "I'm just an ordinary magus, not some princess of Colchis!"
Heracles looked at the trio, forcing a strained smile. Three people pretending to be weak... were they just here to have fun?!
But he knew Morpheus was right. Heracles was famous, his deeds widely known, but Morpheus's feats, though extraordinary, were known to very few.
The battle against the Gigantes might eventually become known, but slaying Typhon and gaining an edge against dragons? Only the gods knew of those.
Heracles only learned of them because Morpheus kept visiting. To the rest of the world, Morpheus was indeed an unknown, ordinary figure.
Yet, clearly, this "ordinary" man was likely the strongest in their group. Even Artemis, the moon goddess, was no match for him. This wasn't just based on Heracles's experience during the Gigantomachy but was further proven by Morpheus's defeat of Typhon.
And so, the group set out for Mount Pelion. Jason had invited many others, including several of his fellow students from Chiron's teachings, Heracles among them.
After a few days' travel, they reached Mount Pelion, where a crowd of remarkable individuals had already gathered. Morpheus surveyed them, noting that every one was exceptional.
For instance, Lynceus, known for his sharp sight, was one of the fifty sons of Egypt's King Aegyptus and later became the king of Argos.
Meleager, another famed hero of Greek mythology, was also present, though his story, too, ended in tragedy.
Then there were Telamon and Peleus, grandsons of Zeus, and other such talents.
Even Pelias's brother Neleus joined the adventure. It was unclear whether he aimed to aid his nephew or simply spite his twin brother, Pelias, who had exiled him and now held the throne.
"Heracles, you made it!" Jason, spotting a familiar face, hurried over. The golden-haired youth completely ignored the others with Heracles, despite the presence of two striking women, who failed to catch his interest.
"We had a deal... you're not a monster when you're with me. You're the great hero protecting the future king!"
Jason still remembered their past promises, or perhaps jests. Heracles smiled, letting the other pat his frame. Only after a moment did Jason notice the others trailing Heracles, asking curiously, "Who are these people? New friends of yours?"
Heracles rarely made true friends. Many sought to use him, privately viewing him as a monster. Jason knew this well, so he was curious about these three... were they deceiving Heracles, or were they genuinely different, treating him as a friend?
"Pleasure to meet you, future king. I'm Morpheus," Morpheus said with a smile, introducing himself and the others.
"These are my partners. This is Diana, and this is Medea."
Since Medea's princess status wouldn't be an issue unless revealed, Morpheus saw no need for her to use a different name.
***
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