Part 30

Head bowed, he turned and walked away, fading into the night.

Demo slept.

He woke late, the sun high in the sky. Even then might he have slept, except for the sound of the sparrows.

They hopped excitedly around an object gleaming on the forest floor. He rose, walked to it, and they took wing in fright.

The mirror of Venus. Cronus had dropped it there before he left. Strange. He had been so moved by the aged image therein. Demo shook his head, picked up the mirror.

In shock, he almost let it fall.

The beauty of Venus, radiant and young, once more graced its surface.

Eyes wide he glanced at the hand holding the mirror. The gnarled fingers, wrinkled and old, were no more. The strong hands of youth now held the mirror.

Quickly he rushed to the spring, examined his countenance.

Cronus had relented.

He heard a distant rumble of thunder, glanced anxiously to the sky.

A voice, strong and yet soft, reached his ears.

"Well done, my son." He knew the sojourn had ended.

And then he heard the words again. "Well done, my son." and felt a hand shaking him.

"Yes, well done. The firewood you were to gather, where is it? Do you know the sun is near its zenith, and you still lie abed."

"Yes, mother, I shall fetch it quickly."

He shook his head. Only a dream? He looked at his hand, the hand of youth. As he sat on the edge of his bed his foot brushed an object.

Absentmindedly he reached down, picked it up.

He found himself gazing on the beauty of Venus, a smile on her face. The lips seemed to move, and expressed in a voice all softness the gratitude shining in her eyes.

He smiled. No!

No! Not a dream.

As a child I nourished him. His body I made strong, agile; his mind, quick. Strength I gave him, and the will to bear pain without flinching. Almost, eternal life. But that was not to be.

Ceres was thinking to herself.

The voice I heard while praying - It is, I am sure, his voice. The time is coming when this tragedy shall end. In some manner, unknown to me, Fate will bring the paths together.

Ah, yet how powerful is the enemy! Zeus himself alone is more powerful.

No, not true. Moira has mapped the path of each, be they God or man. And Fate has given me a vision.

I knew not then to what purpose the boy's skills would be needed. How quickly time has passed, and the wrong done my daughter is yet to be avenged!

His shall be the duty.