Uponreagtheclouds,Dimitrisawgroupsofsoldiersonhorsebackstreakpasthimswiftasthewind,payingnoheedwhatsoevertohisuninvitedpreseheirtrationwasteredsolelyonthegesilefield.Tensofthousandsofcavalrymenwereassembledontheopenfields.Theyweredividediionsgallopingatfullspeed,theirformationuniformandstrictlyregimeheyseparated,rejoined,andthenseparatedagaintoformallmannersofplexpatterns.Inamomentthousandsofcavalrymensuddenlyscatteredinalldiresandthenjustasswiftlygregatedintoaunitedwholeagain.Theysplitintotwoandfoughteachotherasfiercelyandbravelyasiftheywererealenemies.Dimitrilookedupatthereviewingstandandsawthehandsomeandbravesungod,Apollo,standingtherefidentlyandinghistroopsusingfgsofallcolorsandhandsignals.Tensofthousandsofcavalrymetuohisandthattheyseemedtobeextensionsofhisfingersandarms,co-operatingseamlessly.Inasedthetwosesthathadbeenfightingtothedeath,mergedintoone.Suchawell-trainedandwell-equippedarmywasreallyinvincible.Dimitrirodeslowlytowardsthereviewingstand.ThesungodApollocaughtsightofhim.Rushingdown,hejumpedintohisglitteringgoldchariotandhurriedtowardshisguest.Whewomet,theywerebothveryexcited,huggingandkissingeachotherinexuberance.
“BrotherDimitri,wehaven’tseenyouforalongtime.Howareyou?”excimedApollo.
“IamsosorryIhaveoseeyouandpaymyrespectstoKihereweresomethingsIhadtodealwithinthemundaneworld.IreceivedKingZeus’summonsandamheretoseewhathewanted.Howareyou,BrotherApollo?”
“Iamfine.EverythingisfiherZeusisieherewatgmedrillthearmy.Heioleadittorestoreydomforyouandisgreatlydistressedthatwehavenotheardfromyou.eo’sgoandseehim.I’msurehewouldbeveryrelievedandhappytoseeyou.”Sayingsothetwoofthemrodetowardsthebigtent.
LookingoutfromhistentKingZeussawtwobckspotsfarawayinthehorizoningfasttowardshim.HekhattheoteringbrightasthesunwashisbelovedsonApolloandwaswwhotheimposingfigureonasnowwhitesteedridingbesidethesungodwas.Whentheyear,herealizedthatitwasKingDimitriwhomtheyhaven’tseenforalongtimeandasmilecametoKingZeus’normallysolemnface.HiseyessoftenedandhisexpressionshowedhisreliefatseeingDimitriwholeandunharmed.HethoughtDimitrilookedmagnifit,braveandheroicasever,belyingtherumorsthathisKingdomhadbeenoccupiedbybarbariantroops,hispaceburntandthathehimselfwasdestituteandhomeless,roamireetsofthemundaneworldasablindbeggar.Hewasgdthattherumorswereunsubstantial.WhenKingDimitricametothebigtent,hequicklyjumpedoffhishorse,walkedintothetentaonekneebeforehisliegelordsaying,
“Yourmajesty,pleaseexcuseyourvassalDimitriforbeingteinansweringyoursummons.Iamnowhereforyoutoand.Pleaseletmeknowwhatyouwishofme.”KingZeuswasveryhappytoseethatDimitriwassorespectfulofcourtprotocol.Heughedheartily,andstoodupsaying,
“KingDimitri,youandIarebothsns.Weareequalsoyoukome.Pleasestand.”SungodApollowasastouoseehisnormallysternanddighertreatanyonesopolitelyandgenially,whilyshowedhisfather’shighregardforDimitriinhisheart.Kiwindaughter,Charmaineainewhoweresnuggledbytheirfather’sside,lookedatDimitriwitheyesbeamingwithaffe.Hewasthemanoftheirdreamsandtheirhero.TheyhadbeenseparatedfromhimforsuchalongtimeandonlythepreseheirfatherprevehemfromshowingtheiremotionsandthrowingthemselvesintoDimitri’sarms.KingDimitristoodupasandedandKingZeussatbahisroyalthrone.
“Ithadbeeedtomethatydomhadbeeninvadedandoccupiedbybarbariantroopsandyourpaceburntdown.Thesesoldiershadtheimpudeearofftheironcoveryouputoldpacesoitisonceagainglitteringandsparklinguhesun,outshiningmybronzepacehereintheseventhheaven.ThisissomethingIotpossiblyallow.Itoldmysontodrilndtrairoops,gettingthemreadyforbattle.Theywillswoopdownandobliteratetheseupstartbarbariansandatthesametimerestoreydomtoyou.Thetimingofyourarrivalisreallyexcellent.Iamputtingyouinchargeofmyarmy.Yougivetheordertoattadtheywillswoopdownandkilllthesebarbariansandappeasemyanger.”
“MyKingdomintheDreamsisonlyatinypiedontheedgeoftheuniverse”saidKingDimitri,bowing.“IamanxiousthatundeservingasIam,yourmajestyhasseenfittobestowyourloveandfriendshipoIamalsoextremelygrateful.However,Imustbegyoutoresdyourorder.Annihitingthebarbariantroopswillcausesavageandbrutalbloodshedbothtotheenemyandtoourowntroops,whichissomethingIwouldliketopreventatallcost.Ihavealreadydevisedaporemykingdomanddrivethebarbariansbacktotheirownndwithoutsheddinganyblood.IalsomakethegoldpaGiantMountaindisappearfromthehorizonforever.Ibegyourmajestytotakebackyourorder.”
“FatherZeus,”saidApollowhowasstandingby.“Ifitispossibletoaplishwhatwedesirewithoutbloodshedthatnaturallywouldbethebestwaytogo.SingDimitrialreadyhasapn,whyhimtry?Ifhefails,wealwayssendiroops.Whatdoyouthink,Father?”
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