Seeds (4 page)

     Demeter thrust her foot into the ground, watching as it opened wide like a gaping maw. The odor that assaulted her senses was wretchedly vile and she felt her stomach twist uncomfortably, but she managed to simply gag violently, and leaned against a rock. That force that was trying to feed off her intensified its invisible assault, and the goddess steeled herself, taking a deep breath. The opening she had created opened into a cavern beneath the hill, more like a pit, really. She wondered how long the thing she saw had been in there.

     It was a pulsating mass that was nearly her height, and just a bit wider all around. For the most part it was crusted over with both dirt and some kind of sticky secretion, apparently to keep itself moist and safe. What she managed to see through an opening in this covering was gray and had snakelike grooves in it.

     The air became thick and Demeter found herself unable to breathe. It was as if the air itself had become solid, and she stood there, swaying for several moments as she tried to process what was before her. What could it be? That gray, grooved substance... she had only seen something like that in one place.

     Inside people's heads. During the battle between the Titans and the Olympians, losses had been suffered. She and Poseidon had teamed up against one Titan, one of their many cousins. He was clearly intent on killing them, so they had no choice but return the favor or perish. Poseidon had driven his trident into the unsuspecting Titan's head while Demeter had provided a distraction. His skull split open like a melon, his brain slightly pink, but bearing the same exact grooved pattern that she saw on the gray matter. She had seen brains a few other times, including those of animals, which weren't that much different from those of humans.

     This was a brain. And she saw nothing else attached to it. No body, no organs, no nothing. Demeter shuddered as she saw gray veins and tendrils pulsate through the dirt and translucent cocoon it was sheathed in. Apparently it was growing, and this was serving as a cocoon for something growing inside.

     Everything made sense. This gray matter was sucking up energy from the valley above – from every living thing, and increasing its radius to drink up even more. It took just enough energy from the people above to keep them alive, so that it could continue to feed with each generation and grow bigger, and regenerate itself into a more practical form within this shell.

    
Who are you?
she wondered. Was this from some Titan who had died during the wars? Titans and Olympians really weren't different. They all shared the same ancestor, and were separated only by the label they assigned to themselves.

     Regardless of who it was, she had to destroy it. It was diabolical, feeding off living things like a disease. And she also sensed that its purpose was malevolent. All it saw her as was a source of food and energy that it could use to break free from this old form and gain a new one. A new, stronger one than before...

     “You will feed off nobody any longer. Your evil ends here.” Demeter took a deep breath, ready to hit it with whatever she could. Just as she gave life, she would take it.

    
No!
she heard it scream inside of her head, and she stilled.

    
Leave me be, granddaughter.  All I need is more time. When I reclaim my throne, I will keep you at my side to reward your faithfulness.

     Demeter's eyes widened. The only grandsire she had was...

     Ouranos.

     She had never met Ouranos, since Kronos had killed his father before he had sired any children of his own. But she knew of the stories, of course. She had heard firsthand from Gaea what Ouranos had done and why she had let Kronos kill his father. Apparently, part of the decapitated sky god still survived, within this... growth. She could not imagine such an existence and almost pitied the remains of her grandfather.

     She stepped forward again.

    
NO!
Demeter felt the energy around her start to pound and beat at her the best it could. She felt invisible mouths try to suck up her vitality, and she had never felt more assaulted or violated.

    
If you will not join my side, then you will serve a much more useful purpose...
The invisible mouths now felt as if they were biting, even though her skin didn't actually break. The energy and lifeforce of gods was endless, and Demeter realized that if she didn't stop this assault, Ouranos would have a superior source of power to live off, and he would be able to accomplish his plans a lot sooner...

     It was no wonder he was trying to steal her energy. The lifeforce he had been feeding off before was a mere trickle. With one divine meal – a very angry and unwilling goddess – he could retain full godhood again. Just like that. A silent scream escaped her lips as she felt a knot of energy grow within her, like a seed taking root. She steeled herself against the invisible lashes and bites, concentrating on keeping a barrier between her own power and Ouranos's hunger. In her mind's eye, she saw the god he once was, a tall, strong deity of primordial energy with flowing white hair, the ends trailing in the air like clouds. She threw her hands in front of her, feeling that kernel within herself burst out in a wave of intense heat.

     She almost fainted when she heard the scream of anger and pain in her head, but she continued, letting her body be a conduit, her lifeforce channeled into intense heat that blackened and singed the cocoon before the brain itself started to burn. The screaming grew louder, and she shrieked right back before she unleashed a fatal blast of energy that sent charred remains of the brain and its cocoon flying against the walls.

     Still, Ouranos would not give up. As long as a small part of him remained, he would continue to exude his will. Split up as he was, he continued his assault, trying to feed off the energy that Demeter was using to burn whatever was left of the once-mighty god.

     He tried to feed off the searing force she sent his way, but it continued eating away at his gray matter and the new body he was growing within it, destroying him cell by cell.

    
No no no nonononono! It cannot end like this!
After being decapitated by Kronos's sickle, Ouranos had vowed revenge on his son. That opportunity passed as Zeus overthrew his father, but Ouranos had greater concerns. He could not be destroyed after so long! If he could not feed off Demeter's power, then he would destroy her instead. As his remains dwindled down to little more than several smears on the walls, he focused the last of his energy at Demeter, aiming for her head. He could still harvest some energy from her body after all...

     Demeter felt the pressure in her head, and in a desperate effort, released her remaining energy in one powerful blast.

    
NO!
And then, for Ouranos, there was only oblivion.

     The buzzing in her ears caused by the static of Ouranos's energy was suddenly gone, along with the pain in her head. With a wearied sigh, she fell to her knees. She had never felt so drained before, and knew she had taken a huge gamble in facing the last vestiges of Ouranos by herself rather than get the help of a few others. If the old god had succeeded in breaking through her defenses, she did not want to imagine what would befall the world. Closing her eyes, she pressed her forehead against the cool earth, relaxed for the first time since she had come to this area.

     She had never been so grateful to see the sky when she finally made her way outside.

o0o

     Down below, Hades looked up as he felt a subtle shift in the energies that flowed through the Underworld. The life of mortals – plant, animal, or human alike – was a steady stream in the universe. Their energies flowed to and from Dis as it had always. But the death of a god – a rare and momentous occasion – always caused a shift or spike in the flow of cosmic energy. Being connected to Dis, Hades could feel that spike, and followed it for a bit before tracing it to its source.

     “Hmm.” He nodded slowly. Interesting. What Hades didn't know was that Demeter's accidental discovery of the last remaining aspect of Ouranos and her destruction of the ancient god would trigger a series of events that would change his life forever. The seed of Fate had been planted.

Chapter II

o0o

     When Demeter stumbled out of the cave opening, she fainted almost as soon as she felt the cool, fresh air on her face. She had no conscious idea how close she had come to destroying herself when she had expended her energy into defeating Ouranos. She had simply acted instinctively, channeling her power into heat for as long as his assault had continued. And just how long had that assault been? A few seconds, or a few hours? She had lost all sense of time as she pitted herself against him, and it seemed that eternity had been captured in these few moments.

     The earth wasn't filled with any more life-energy than it had been before, but the negative influence was gone. When she stirred, she did not immediately try to rise. Her thoughts were filled with what had happened before she fainted. It was not anything she would ever forget, however harrowing it was. But at least now the last vestiges of the tyrannical sky god was gone. She dug her fingers into the dirt, relishing the feel of the dry soil under her hands. She didn't even want to move. She had never felt this tired or drained, not even during her childhood ordeals, or fighting the Titans. The experience of fainting was completely new to her, and it scared her.
At least it's over
...

     The ground now felt a little more pliant than before, bearing faint footprints from the cave. Demeter marveled at how a discarded fragment of a dead god's body could have pulled off something like this. By making the ground harder, the mortals expended more energy and effort in farming it. Ouranos had figured out how to get the most out of these people and the land. The energy that came from prayers was also swallowed, so the voices of the mortals were effectively blocked from ever reaching the gods' ears. Even Athene would have to applaud the ingenuity of such a plot.

     After a while, she managed to rise to her feet. It would take considerably longer than one night's sleep to restore herself fully, and she wondered if this was what mortals felt like after a long day. She turned back to the cave. Should she go back to Olympus first and restore her strength there? Hebe would gladly attend to her and give her all the ambrosia and nectar she needed. But she didn't want to expend what little of her energy was left in going back to Olympus. She doubted she could, as weak as she was.

     There was no trace of Ouranos left, but there was an ample amount of energy flowing around now that there was no malevolent near-dead god to swallow it up. She could nurture herself with that, and for a nature-goddess, this was better than ambrosia and nectar.

     She went back inside and the earth closed up behind her, leaving a small opening to admit air and a sliver of light. The ground softened for her, making a comfortable surface almost like a bed. She closed her eyes, feeling the ambient energy around her, thick and concentrated as she expected it to be after being released from Ouranos' control, and reached out with her senses. To an exhausted goddess like her, feeling that energy was literally a fresh burst of life. Her face became peaceful as she curled up in a fetal position, and she slept.

o0o

     Iasion stirred under his thin blankets and groaned softly as he sat up. It was almost dawn, and he knew that he needed to get up and add some more wood to the hearth. The nights were bitterly cold, and he was glad that he shared the main room with his mother and younger brother. It meant that the three of them could sleep next to the hearth, while Hyalos and his wife slept in the other room, unable to warm themselves in front of the hearth. But then, they had one another. He thought of Thermasia and her generously-proportioned body. It certainly looked to be warm and soft to the touch.

     Warm. Iasion's eyebrows furrowed as he looked around the dark room. The air, while not warm, was not cold as it would be at this time of the morning. He looked at the hearth. The cinders were still glowing red-hot.

     He lifted his hand, placing it about half a foot above the hearth. Warm radiated through his fingers. Usually the cinders did not produce much heat, and he would have to place his hands or feet just one or two inches above the embers, which had resulted in a burn here or there.

     He rolled over, reaching for a small piece of wood to rekindle the fire. As soon as the fuel hit the embers, fire instantly alighted on one corner, and within a minute had climbed up to the other side, dancing off the wood nicely. The fire actually seemed brighter than before. He stared at the flames, his mouth slightly agape as he flexed his fingers, savoring the warmth. He added several more pieces of wood to the hearth before going outside to draw up some water from the well.

     Iasion would never know about Ouranos's presence, but he did feel a difference. Having being subjected to the old god's hunger from the day of his birth, he was aware that things had changed in an almost imperceptible way. The morning sky was brighter. The air felt fresher, filling his lungs with a cleanness that he liked, giving him a burst of energy that he hadn't expected. The plants seemed greener. The water tasted more refreshing, and he savored the sensation of it going down his throat.

    
Surely it must be my imagination
, he told himself. After all, he couldn't explain how these things had changed. There was nothing obvious. Yet this... perception of change nagged him. The more he tried to dismiss it, the more he seemed to notice the subtle transformation in everything.

     If anyone else noticed the brighter and warmer fire, nobody said anything. But after tending to their animals and working a section of the farm, Iasion could not resist making a comment to his brothers.

     “Does the crop look better? I mean, the leaves look a bit bigger and greener. Is it just me who sees that?”

     Hyalos gazed at him analytically before Esthanes slowly nodded.

     “I wondered if I was the only one. And... I ate a carrot. It tasted a little less bitter than it usually does. I could almost swear it is just a bit sweet.” He gazed down at the carrots in his basket.

     The brothers continued their harvest, finishing the crop within the next two days. It was hard work as it always was, but Iasion realized that he didn't feel so dead-tired at night, and he slept better.

     At the Harvest Festival, everyone seemed slightly happier. The dancing maidens' movements were livelier, and the elderly hunchbacked priestess's back did seem just a bit straighter. The children had never been more rambunctious or energetic, and they skipped and played around, actually looking like kids instead of small, worn-out adults. And the sunlight was also warmer, putting healthy color on everyone's faces and suffusing their overworked bodies with some much-deserved warmth.

     Since his old neighbor, Alestis, was getting on in years, Iasion helpfully offered his arm to her. The old woman smiled at him cheerfully, revealing but two teeth left in her mouth. He took her empty basket into his other arm, placing it in his own.

     “I have been meaning to talk to you for a while now, Iasion,” Alestis murmured, her slow pace letting the rest of his family walk ahead of him. He shrugged and waved them on, patiently supporting the crone.

     “What would you like to talk to me about?” He had helped Alestis and her husband the last few years, and had made sure – along with his mother – that their neighbor made it through her husband's funeral. For all this work he was able to take some of her crops, though Eurycleia usually added that to their own stores for winter, to ensure that they – and their neighbor – would have it if needed. And they had indeed needed it last winter after an especially meager harvest. Mother even cooked for Alestis, and the old woman was often invited to their house for the evening supper.

     “You have been a great help to my husband and myself. You work so hard for your family, and for me as well. I do not have many days left on this earth.”

     “Do not talk that way, Alestis! You have never looked so rosy-cheeked!” It wasn't a lie. Alestis did look a bit more robust today, and her step was firmer.

     “You are right, I am feeling especially good today. Today is a wonderful day. I am happy to have this to enjoy before I die. But I am ready. I have made my peace, and plan to just enjoy what time I have left before I must go to the Dark One. So I am giving you all my land.”

     Iasion stilled in his tracks.
Give?
Just like that? Alestis didn't have a huge amount of land, but it was still a rather sizable plot, and nothing to sneer at. All for him?

     “Your father's land is not enough for three sons. My land will be yours come winter. I would give it to no one else. All I ask for in return is that you take care of the land as you take care of me in my last days.”

     Iasion's grandparents were dead before he was born, so he had never known them. He already regarded the old woman as a surrogate grandmother, and enjoyed Alestis's stories. Because of Alestis, Iasion knew many tales of the gods, of all of Demeter's siblings and their struggle against the Titans.

     “I already honor you. I enjoy listening to your stories, and I am glad to care for you. But... you are absolutely certain? It almost seems too good to be true.”

     She let out a cackle, flashing her gums, the myriad wrinkles on her face growing even deeper.

     “I assure you, I would not tease you about something like this.”

     The rest of the walk home was silent. Since it was so nice outside, Iasion chose to sit outside after supper. The air was mildly cool, and his cloak was simply draped loosely across his shoulders. The stars had never seemed so bright, as if a veil had been lifted from the sky. He took a deep breath and felt tired in a sated way. It was a couple of hours before he went inside to sleep, and the room was comfortably warm as the small fire danced on cheerily.

o0o

     Demeter slept on, secure in her hibernation. The area around where she slept, once devoid of any growth, now had a thick layer of grass, covering her place of refuge like a blanket.

o0o

     A month after the harvest festival, Alestis died in her sleep, and was found the next morning. Iasion made sure that she had a proper funeral, and grieved. Hyalos' wife announced that she was now pregnant after three years of being unable to conceive. Some of the older men in the village sought to arrange marriage between their daughters and Iasion now that he was a landed man.

     The days grew shorter and cooler, but no one had ever been through such a warm winter as this. The fires offered much more comfort and light than before, and instead of falling asleep so early, people would sit around their fires and tell stories, play games or sing songs, or simply relax. And still Demeter slept.

o0o

     Zeus was contemplative as he stared at his wife wandering the Olympian gardens, her peacocks following her as she strode past the manicured flowers. Her thick, wavy black hair was pulled back in an elegant bun, accentuating the curve of her neck and shoulder. She was as beautiful as she had been when he first had stirrings for her.

     As if she knew she was being watched, she turned around, her gaze falling on him as he stood behind a pillar. Her expression betrayed nothing, and he was unsure of what to say. He had been lonely and was thinking about her a lot lately, as had happened oftentimes in the past. He would court and woo her, and win back her affection with whatever gestures he could think of. But he inevitably let his eyes roam, and would chase after a new lover.

     And then Hera would be hurt and angry, and go after the women if she was able to find them. She would make her husband out to be a rapist, an abusive god who hurt the women who did not want him. According to Hera, Zeus took animal forms and coupled with maidens as such, committing the unforgivable act of bestiality. If subjecting these women to that was not bad enough, the crime was exacerbated by abandoning these women after the babies were born, leaving these unfortunate maidens to raise bastards all on their own. Of course, Zeus retaliated with his own stories of what an unforgiving shrew his wife was, and the vicious cycle would go on, though he knew – even if he wouldn't admit it – that he alone was responsible for the perpetuation of this cycle. Eventually, their tales would trickle down to the ears of mortals.

     The legend of Zeus and Europa – as told by mortals – was that the woman in question had been frightened as Zeus took off to the waves with her on his back before he violated her, still in his bull form. Nothing could be further from the truth. She had shrieked with glee amidst the sea-spray as she held onto his horns, and once he had reached Crete, he resumed his original form before making passionate love with her. She had given of herself freely, her dark eyes flashing with pleasure as she realized that her lover was a mighty god. Had he abandoned her? No. She bore him not one but two sons, and he ensured her comfort and security, keeping her in queenly luxury through the rest of her days. She had been a much-loved companion and given him years of joy.

     Europa's image was been immortalized in the palaces and villas of her descendants, the laughing, raven-haired maiden who had her tresses in long, thick curls and waves, depicted atop a bull being carried far away from her brothers. The royals of Crete had her dark hair and eyes, and the maidens of that line were said to be especially lovely.