by M. M. Kin
There were sordid rumors of parents eating their children, but such an idea evoked only the most utter revulsion in Skouros and his wife. They had gone on as far as they could, and now simply had no more energy to even try living. Both of them used the last of their energy to pull on their nicest clothes before settling down into their bed, pulling up the covers. Once in a while, they would have a bit of strength to talk, and used this to reminisce about the good old days.
Their courtship and marriage, the birth of their first – and subsequent – children and various smaller joys filled their conversations.
However, it seemed that Hypia could now talk no more. Her breathing was shallow, and her hand was cold. When he whispered her name, he gained no response – not even a slight twitch of her eyelids or fingers.
He could barely move. A modern-day doctor would have told him that his organs were shutting down, just like his wife's already had. Even without that medical knowledge, Skouros knew the end was imminent.
“I love you,” he whispered, squeezing Hypia's hand and hoping she could still feel it. He stared at her one last time with bleary eyes, seeing not the emaciated woman that was at the very brink of death, but the bright-eyed maiden he had fallen in love with three decades ago.
The high priest of Zeus sent out one last prayer that his patron god might save his remaining children. He had prayed so many times that it was almost out of habit that he did so.
o0o
Distantly, as if she was on the shore of a great sea and seeing lamps on ships in the distance, Persephone saw tiny pinpoints scattered all around Olympia. At first she was unsure of what she was seeing, but focusing on the flow of life-energy, she realized that these were the people that had in one way or another managed to stay alive, though none of them would remain so for long without divine intervention.
Before Mother could speak or give out instruction, Persephone took a step forward, focusing on the overabundance of energy within herself. These people would have to be fed, but if they were too weak to get to the food, then Mother's efforts would come to naught.
Persephone raised her arms, focusing on these tiny pinpoints of diminishing life. She could sense that many of these people hovered upon the brink of death. Rather than focusing on the dead vegetation before her, she turned her efforts to the people.
A vision of a web formed in her mind's eye, and she connected all of the people on it, like stars connected by silk threads. She expanded this web, seeking out every last living being she could find, feeling her will stretch out in countless gossamer strands, refusing to give up until she was confident that she had located every creature – human or animal – within a sizable radius.
The process felt slow to her as the strings expanded and branched out to find everyone, as it had taken great concentration to accomplish such a task, but in reality it took no more than several seconds.
With the network in place and everyone connected, she did not hesitate to move through the next step. Her power burst from her, filling the pale threads with a radiant golden light. The entire web was suffused with almost unbearable brilliance for a glorious, fleeting moment before it dimmed, the rich life-energy flowing towards all of the flickering lights that formed the base of the intricate arrangement.
Demeter could only stare as she felt the intense outpouring of power from her daughter. The landscape remained barren as the Goddess of Spring collapsed to the ground.
o0o
Skouros remained still, peacefully resigned to his own death. He and Hypia had led good lives, doing the best they could. They had reared their children with a firm but loving hand. They were charitable towards poorer neighbors, and Skouros had used his power as head priest of the temple to see to it that the poorest citizens of Olympia need not go without the most basic necessities of life. The kingdom of Hades was a mysterious place, but the Elysian Fields was the assured future of those who had led good and honest lives. Granted, his tenure as a mortal was not as long as he would have liked – it was his fondest dream to see his children have children of their own – but who could defy the will of the gods? Hopefully Hades would be a kinder – and more attentive – master than Zeus or Demeter.
The house was silent. He could not even hear his own breathing. The peace was.... actually nice. Death in battle was considered great, at least to Ares and the Spartans. However, Skouros simply could not imagine meeting his end in such a way. It was much more pleasant to just lie still and focus on the silence that surrounded him. There was nothing to be afraid of.
Suddenly, he was filled with an almost searing sensation, like light pouring into his flesh. His body arched off the bed violently. He gave out a strangled moan as his muscles relaxed, slowly lowering him back to the mat.
“Skouros?”
After resigning himself to death, he was certain that he would only hear his wife's voice again on the other side. When he opened his eyes, his surroundings were the same. Was it like this in Death, waking up to a place that looked just like his own? His thoughts were interrupted by a hand touching his cheek, and he turned his head to look at Hypia. She was gaunt, but no longer fatally so.
His joints ached a bit, but he was surprised to find himself able to move with fair ease. His vision was no longer bleary, and after staring at his beloved spouse for several moments, he softly uttered her name.
o0o
“Kora!” Demeter cried out. She hadn't used this name to try to annoy the younger woman; it had been an entirely instinctive action on her part, especially when it seemed as if Kora was hurt.
She rushed to her daughter's side, patting her cheek and juggling her shoulders gently before taking her into her arms.
“My darling child...” Demeter looked down at her daughter's pale and wan complexion. Fortunately, they were both goddesses, and Demeter knew exactly what she needed to do. She could transfer some of her own life-energy into her daughter and restore her. Her hand slid down her daughter's chest, feeling the beat of her heart. It was even and steady, not too strong or weak. She took a deep breath before Persephone's eyelids fluttered open.
“No. Save your energy for them.” She nodded towards Olympia.
“But...”
“I just need rest. Let me be. Make the plants grow, Mother.”
As her daughter spoke, Demeter became aware of the fact that despite the barren landscape, the presence of death was no longer so overwhelming.
“Go on.” Persephone nodded wearily.
o0o
Skouros shakily sat up, feeling light-headed.
“Are we dead?” he whispered. Hypia glanced at him and shrugged.
“I think we are alive.” She placed her hand on her chest. “The dead have no need for beating hearts.”
A powerful clash of emotions percolated within Skouros as he assessed his situation. He had been resigned to death, and now, apparently, he had been yanked back to the world of the living. His vital signs were a bit weak, but he was able to climb off the bed with relative ease.
He didn't want to go through the process of starvation again. It had been agony at first, but when he passed the critical point, there was no longer any pain. The final stages of starvation, much like that of hypothermia or drowning, was peaceful as the body started to shut down, cutting off pain receptors in its course.
It had been at least several days since he felt hunger pangs, and he silently cursed his stomach when he felt its empty rumble. Better to be dead than go through this again!
Skouros walked to the window, pulling back the drapes. He gasped softly when he saw green. The gardens had been picked clean weeks ago, yet there were plants blossoming and growing right before his eyes! Little green shoots reached towards the sky, becoming taller and stronger as their leaves opening to drink in the heat of the sun. Hypia joined him at the window, watching as the plants started to flower. The variety usually only seen in spring also made itself apparent, daffodils, crocuses, lilies, and many other flowers vying against one another for s
pace and sun.
In the vegetable garden, the flowers budded, blossomed, and wilted in a matter of seconds as their true crop grew into visibility, their stalks impressive as they stretched upward, needing no support or trellis. A flash here and there revealed carrots pushing the dirt from around them, topped by clusters of thick shoots. The olive tree that sat in one corner of the courtyard gained an ever-increasing load, growing many branches since most of its old ones had fallen off due to not receiving any nourishment and being used for firewood. In the blink of an eye, olives appeared, growing bigger than any Skouros had ever seen.
Vines tumbled over one another as they spilled across the crisscrossing walkways of the courtyard, revealing a bounty of peas and cucumbers.
Bare patches of dirt were overcome by thick grass, and soon enough Skouros's courtyard became a veritable cornucopia of flowers and fruit, regardless of what time of the year each individual plant grew. The sweet odor of honeysuckle alerted Skouros to the fact that the pillars holding up the veranda roof were being quickly overtaken by the flower, its vines wrapping around the carved wood. The odor of dill and mint wafted over from Hypia's herb garden, which just like everything else, was overflowing.
The almost non-existent strawberry bush – Melissa loved strawberries, Skouros thought sadly – was now clustered with berries bigger than his dead child's fist.
As if in a trance, he slowly drew from the window and walked down the hall, calling for his remaining children to come outside. He was not sure if they had been given the same... rejuvenation, for lack of a better word, that he and Hypia had just experienced. He did not bother to check to make sure they had risen out of their beds as he walked outside. He would bring food to them if he had to.
The smell of myriad flowers enveloped him, and he stood still for a moment as he examined the greenery. His steps were slow and measured as he approached the strawberries.
The fruit certainly feels real enough, he mused, plucking one from its vine. When he brought it to his lips, he sniffed it for a moment before sinking his teeth into the sweet treat.
“Father?” Skouros turned around to see his youngest surviving son. Menaus was on the brink of puberty, though starvation had made him appear much smaller and younger.
“Come on out. Everybody! There is plenty to eat!” He grabbed another strawberry, and within several moments, all six remaining members of the household were outside on their knees and taking whatever caught their fancy. Three of his children joined him at the strawberries while Hypia and a fourth were happily tearing open pea pods. Alinoe, their only remaining daughter, was pulling carrots out of the dirt – she had always liked carrots – and was munching on one after having quickly brushed earth off it.
After eating several handfuls of the most succulent strawberries he had ever tasted, he finally went to the gate. He was hesitant to open it, and nobody had left the property in the last couple of weeks. Gingerly, he placed his palm on the cool wood of the bar.
His shoulders sagged in shock and relief when he saw that the road was lined on both sides with tall shoots of grass. The farms he could see had the same abundance that his own garden did. In the distance, he heard surprised and delighted cries, and over the next few minutes, he saw people on the farms, surveying what had happened and grabbing at least several mouthfuls of food as they did so.
He turned around to see his wife.
“It is the same out there. Everything has grown back.”
Hypia let out a slow groan of relief as she closed her eyes for a moment and nodded.
o0o
Persephone barely moved, wiggling around a bit as she felt the grass grow around and under her. It formed a lush carpet, and she was tempted to simply fall asleep.
A shadow passed over her eyes, blocking the sun. She opened her eyes to see her mother looking down at her. Persephone quickly pulled herself up to a sitting position, glancing around at the changes that Mother had effected onto the countryside. It was a veritable paradise compared to the barren hell that it was before, and the sight filled her heart with relief and joy.
“Are you all right?” Mother asked.
“I will be, as soon as I eat.” She felt drained from the spectacular feat she had just performed, and was just now aware of being ravenously hungry. As she looked up, she noted that Mother didn't look particularly surprised.
“Do not worry. You can eat all you want when we go back.” As the older goddess scooped her daughter into her arms, Persephone offered no argument, wrapping her own arms around her mother's neck.
o0o
Hades leaned against a tree, invisible to mother and daughter as they each used their Gift to revive Olympia. When Persephone fell, he had nearly been unable to restrain himself from rushing to her side and taking her into his arms and comforting her.
He had promised himself that he would give her this month to enjoy the upper world and her reunion with her mother. He wanted to show himself, but feared how Persephone might judge that. Sure, she enjoyed his presence, but did she desire a reminder of her bond with him at this time?
He watched quietly as Demeter lifted Persephone into her arms.
o0o
Many mortals considered Zeus the mightiest of the Gods, but Demeter's famine had shown him just what he could not do. His Gift had been valuable when it came to fighting Kronos's Titans. A well-placed lightning bolt could stun a Titan and enable his brothers and sisters to close in and subdue said Titans. And he had gotten into a few fights with his own sons or siblings. Ares himself had to be brought down with lightning bolts several times when he became so lost in his blood-lust that he could not be reasoned with.
Nobody could deny that a lightning bolt was a very effective weapon, but it could not grow food or do a single damned thing to feed mortals. He was just happy to see Olympia green again. Ever since the famine had started, the prayers from Olympia had been almost unceasing. Skouros had served him well for years and he was one of Zeus's favored humans. When Skouros prayed for food to feed his children, Zeus had been forced to turn away in shame. In the beginning, he had been able to add food to the temple stores for Skouros and anyone else who might need it, but as food ran out everywhere, even the mighty ruler of the gods had been unable to locate this basic and much-needed commodity, and to raid food from other lands would rouse ire of the other god-clans.
At least it's all over. In the last couple of days, most of Hellas had been restored to its former vitality. Even in areas where Demeter had not yet been able to attend, the land was still healthy, because the nymphs had been doing their own part to rejuvenate the countryside, now freely able to use their abilities in the absence of Demeter's curse.
The nymphs were still giving him the cold shoulder, though. It would be a while before he got into anybody's good graces, so he had taken to being alone – just like Mother had told him to, anyway – when not helping the mortals.
He took a swig of the ambrosia before setting the flask back on the table. There was still plenty to be considered. He was surprised that Hades had given Kora up so easily – hadn't his older brother said that he intended to keep the daughter of Demeter as his Queen?
“You have a visitor, my lord.” Zeus looked up to see Hebe.
“Who is it?”
“Hades.”
What? Zeus quickly collected himself and nodded, waving his hand in assent.
Hades was a somber figure encased in a flowing black cloak, his expression unreadable as he came to a stop before his brother. Despite the fact that the Lord of the Dead was the elder sibling, he looked younger than his other brothers, and Zeus would sometimes note this with curiosity. His eyes were dark, his stare penetrating as he focused on the younger deity
“What brings you here?” Zeus asked, inclining his head in a slight bow.
“Perhaps I came here to visit you out of brotherly concern.” Hades's tone was openly dry, and his lips formed an almost indiscernible smirk.
“Have you come to ask me for Kora
again?” Zeus asked, in no mood to put up with his brother's attitude.
“I do not need to. She is already mine.”
“There is someone who would disagree with that. We have all known her displeasure. Do you wish to provoke it again?”
“Of course not. She may have increased the number of my subjects, but unlike most of the Olympians, I am not concerned with how many people worship me.” He shrugged, giving his surroundings a cool glance.
“What do you really want?”
“I will get what I want soon enough.”
“Does it amuse you to speak in riddles?”
“To be honest? Yes.”
I should have known he would say that, Zeus groaned inwardly.
“Just remember, what is done cannot be undone.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” the younger sibling asked, not bothering to hide his frustration.
“You will find out soon enough.”
“Do not play games with me.”
“I have better things to do, little brother. I am simply telling it as it is. All will be revealed in due time – meanwhile, you have a lot of work to do still. Is our darling sister on speaking terms with you?”
“No,” Zeus muttered. Rhea had told him to stay away from Demeter for the time being, and he had been all too happy to do so. He was of course curious to see Kora, but his fear of his sister outweighed everything else. “I still do not understand why you wanted her. Look at all the trouble it caused.”
“You are scolding me for the trouble?” Hades asked. Demeter hadn't initiated her curse until she discovered her youngest brother's hand in it. Hades had been more than willing to talk to her, and had been close to, but Demeter had somehow found out where her daughter was and went to Zeus. Now, how had she found out?