Bellerophon

Bellerophon leaned his battle-weary head against the Herm. He closed his eyes, breathing deeply, his full weight now pressing on the mile marker. He turned and placed his back against the cool stone, sliding down towards the ground. Finally, he could rest. 

The last few days had not been easy. Though they emerged victorious, Bellerophon and his trusty steed, Pegasus, had barely escaped the Chimera with their lives. His body was battered and bruised, and his ego matched. More than he felt his own pain, his guilt is what truly wracked him – he had flown Pegasus into danger, and the winged horse trusted his master with his life. 

Together, the pair zipped through the air, dodging the fiery breath and sharp talons of the beast. Its roars shook the earth, their force nearly knocking Bellerophon from his saddle. He slashed with his sword, but to no avail. No matter his angle or how clear his shot, the metallic clang of his blade striking the Chimera’s impenetrable fur rang through the air with each and every strike. 

After what felt like a decade of battle, an idea began to form. Bellerophon knew he could not best the Chimera with a blow to his hide, so he would have to take him down from the inside out. He urged Pegasus high into the air, and the two taunted the Chimera from just out of reach.

Thinking back on it now, Bellerophon realized his plan was as dumb as it was brave. If he failed, he would be weaponless – defenseless against the creature. In the moment, though, only the adrenaline pumping through his veins and the desperation of a man facing his own demise motivated him. As the Chimera reared its head and unhinged its terrifying maw, releasing another world-shaking roar, Bellerophon launched his sword as though it were a spear. His aim was perfect. The blade slid down the throat of the beast, but nothing seemed to happen. The Chimera roared again, this time, even angrier. 

Bellerophon began to sweat, hoping he had not tossed his only defense into the mouth of the monster. Then, the Chimera released another column of flames, singing the wings of the horse and his rider. Pegasus whined in pain, losing his focus, sending them both tumbling to the ground. As the pair rolled through the dirt, Bellerophon could not understand why the Chimera had not grabbed at him already.

As the dust cleared, he suddenly understood the stroke of luck which had saved his life. The sword had melted in the gullet of the Chimera, his own fiery breath becoming his downfall. As the flames died out, the molten weapon cooled, filling the airway of the beast. The Chimera choked, then fell silent. 

Now, as he leaned against the Herm, he replayed the image again and again in his mind. A lucky shot. A lucky landing. A lucky twist of fate. How had he survived? He would never be sure. Just as he began to spiral, wondering what he had done to deserve such grace, he felt the soft nudge of Pegasus’s snout against the side of his face. 

Bellerophon opened his eyes. His horse, whom he loved, stood beside him. He decided then that it was not worth questioning – they had lived, and in the end, that was all that mattered.