214. Swords and Serpents
Amy lunges to the right and dashes for the sword. She finds it pulls right out of the statue's hand. Amy quickly adopts an improvised fighting stance. She tries to keep the medusa on her right side, in which hand she holds the sword, while looking to her left, using the mirror to watch the medusa. She swings her sword wide and manages to scratch the medusa's arm. The gorgon lets out an angry shriek of pain. The blow is soon returned, however, as the gorgon reaches out and scrapes down Amy's back, tearing through her shirt and bra.
Amy tries to feint away from the gorgon, then thrusts her sword out when medusa pursues. The medusa dodges the thrust easily. The gorgon punishes Amy's poor judgment by scraping across Amy's chest, painfully scratching her right breast and tearing off Amy's shirt and bra. Amy is now topless but for a scrap of shirt sleeve hanging from her left shoulder.
Amy takes a more defensive stance, trying to keep the sword between her and the gorgon and countering the gorgon's strikes by slashing at the medusa's arm. Her crowning moment of glory is when the medusa over-swings and Amy manages to slice at the gorgon's back. Her victories are few and far between, however, and soon it becomes apparent that, between Amy's lack of experience with a sword, the gorgon's familiarity with her claws, and the handicap of having to watch her opponent with the mirror, the fight as it stands will not go well for Amy. She needs to find a way to change the fight and gain the advantage.
After the gorgon backs off following an unsuccessful strike, Amy takes a quick look around. She is standing next to a small lake. In the middle of the lake is an island with a large weeping willow on it. Amy hardly has time to inspect the tree, but she does note that it seems to be covered in snow, which is quite unusual for early May. Amy could swim through the lake to that island and hopefully ward off the gorgon from there.
Amy also notes a nearby pedestal, devoid of any statues, in the middle of an empty fountain. She could hop on there and try to use the advantage of high ground to get the better of the medusa.
What should Amy do?