drelthatrapedandkilledthergewhitefish.”

    “Thergewhitefishhadpracticedasceticismforoverathousandyearsandwasabouttobemortal.”

    “SheisthemotherofalllivingthingsiarMoonLake.Killingherisacrimeagainstheaven!”

    “Yoursinisheinous!”

    18

    “Youaredepraved,wickedanddisgusting!”

    “Thereisnopceforyoubetweenheaveh.”

    “Youhaveincurredthewrathofheavenandwillbestruckbylightning!”

    Thunderrumbledmenaglyasifemphasizingtheiranger.Cyclopskhathehadbroughtuponhimselfthefuryofthegodsandhavebeetheculpritdenouncedbyoneandallinheavenah.Suddenlyapeelofthunderapaniedbyaboltoflightninglituptheskies.Cyclopswasscaredoutofhiswitsandsubsciouslyhadonlyohoughtinhismind–run!

    Cyclopsranmindlesslyinthewilderness.Hedashedintotheforestsandmountains,cirgaroundheedlesslyuntilhecametoasecludedge.Hestoppedwithhisbackterocktocatchhisbreathe.Helookedupatthedarkskiesandthought,“HaveIreallysinnedsobadlythatInolongerhaveapthisearth?No.Idon’tbelieveso...”Butregardlessofwhathethought,suchwasreality.Ithappenedagain!Aloudnoiselikethatofanirongatebeingpulledopenrippedthesilehenight.AblindingshaftoflightagainshonedownonCyclops.Noisy,disorderlyfootstepandangryaccusationsheraldedtheappearanceofcelestialbeings.ButthistimeitwasadifferentgroupofheavenlyinhabitantswhoseclothingandtenanceshowedthemtobefromadifferehaheyshoutednationsatCyclops,whohadnochoicebuttogetbahisfeetandrun.Rumblingthundernowturoear-deafeningthunderdamightyboltoflightningcamedownlikeasharpkhrownfromheavenstraightatCyclops,whofledforhislife.Somehowhesurvivedthiscamityandlightningstruckahugetreewhichtookseveralpeopletoencirstead,whichfellburninginthewilderhus,drivenbythunderandlightning,hecametoasheercliffwhichcutoffhisescaperoute.Cyclopssawacavethtanddoveinwithnofurtherthought.Thatcavewasdestioecthimtothephaseofhislife.

    StandingatthehighestpointofKingDimitri’space,Medusawasnotatalwareofthemightythunderandblindinglightningthathadhappenedduringthenight,forallthiswasdirectedatCyclopspersonallyandhadnothingtodowithanyoneelse.Cyclopsalonesawandheardheaven’swrath.Thedaywasdawningandwouldsoonbreakupthedarknight.Anhthadpassedufully.Medusabreathedasighofreliefandherheartrexedinpeace.Alightfogcoveredtheearthahingwasnormal.Butwhenthefogdispersed,anunusuandhorrifyingsightmetMedusa’seyes,whichmadeherflydown,getohumanformandgointothepacetoreportthetestshognews.

    Itwasdaybreak.Thefirstcrackofdawnlighteduptheeasternskies.Normally,sunshinewouldshtentheuniverse,butthisdaywasdifferentfromanyother.Darkcloudscoveredtheskies,fathickleadenshroudovertheKingdomofDreams.Drizzlyrainfloatingdowheatmosphereofforebodingandmisgiving.QueenAishawassoundasleepwhenshewasawakenedbyurgentknogatherbedroomdoor.Sheopenedhereyesdrowsilysaying,

    “ein.Whoisitthatesknogsoearlyinthem?”

    “Iamsorrytodisturbyourrest,yourmajesty”saidapaceattendantwalkingquicklyintotheroom“butMedusaiswaitingforyouinthegreathallwithurgentmatterstoreport.Sheseemedtobegreatlyagitatedandispagthefloorrestlessly.”

    “Ohdear!Iwonderwhathashappenedn

drelthatrapedandkilledthergewhitefish.”

    “Thergewhitefishhadpracticedasceticismforoverathousandyearsandwasabouttobemortal.”

    “SheisthemotherofalllivingthingsiarMoonLake.Killingherisacrimeagainstheaven!”

    “Yoursinisheinous!”

    18

    “Youaredepraved,wickedanddisgusting!”

    “Thereisnopceforyoubetweenheaveh.”

    “Youhaveincurredthewrathofheavenandwillbestruckbylightning!”

    Thunderrumbledmenaglyasifemphasizingtheiranger.Cyclopskhathehadbroughtuponhimselfthefuryofthegodsandhavebeetheculpritdenouncedbyoneandallinheavenah.Suddenlyapeelofthunderapaniedbyaboltoflightninglituptheskies.Cyclopswasscaredoutofhiswitsandsubsciouslyhadonlyohoughtinhismind–run!

    Cyclopsranmindlesslyinthewilderness.Hedashedintotheforestsandmountains,cirgaroundheedlesslyuntilhecametoasecludedge.Hestoppedwithhisbackterocktocatchhisbreathe.Helookedupatthedarkskiesandthought,“HaveIreallysinnedsobadlythatInolongerhaveapthisearth?No.Idon’tbelieveso...”Butregardlessofwhathethought,suchwasreality.Ithappenedagain!Aloudnoiselikethatofanirongatebeingpulledopenrippedthesilehenight.AblindingshaftoflightagainshonedownonCyclops.Noisy,disorderlyfootstepandangryaccusationsheraldedtheappearanceofcelestialbeings.ButthistimeitwasadifferentgroupofheavenlyinhabitantswhoseclothingandtenanceshowedthemtobefromadifferehaheyshoutednationsatCyclops,whohadnochoicebuttogetbahisfeetandrun.Rumblingthundernowturoear-deafeningthunderdamightyboltoflightningcamedownlikeasharpkhrownfromheavenstraightatCyclops,whofledforhislife.Somehowhesurvivedthiscamityandlightningstruckahugetreewhichtookseveralpeopletoencirstead,whichfellburninginthewilderhus,drivenbythunderandlightning,hecametoasheercliffwhichcutoffhisescaperoute.Cyclopssawacavethtanddoveinwithnofurtherthought.Thatcavewasdestioecthimtothephaseofhislife.

    StandingatthehighestpointofKingDimitri’space,Medusawasnotatalwareofthemightythunderandblindinglightningthathadhappenedduringthenight,forallthiswasdirectedatCyclopspersonallyandhadnothingtodowithanyoneelse.Cyclopsalonesawandheardheaven’swrath.Thedaywasdawningandwouldsoonbreakupthedarknight.Anhthadpassedufully.Medusabreathedasighofreliefandherheartrexedinpeace.Alightfogcoveredtheearthahingwasnormal.Butwhenthefogdispersed,anunusuandhorrifyingsightmetMedusa’seyes,whichmadeherflydown,getohumanformandgointothepacetoreportthetestshognews.

    Itwasdaybreak.Thefirstcrackofdawnlighteduptheeasternskies.Normally,sunshinewouldshtentheuniverse,butthisdaywasdifferentfromanyother.Darkcloudscoveredtheskies,fathickleadenshroudovertheKingdomofDreams.Drizzlyrainfloatingdowheatmosphereofforebodingandmisgiving.QueenAishawassoundasleepwhenshewasawakenedbyurgentknogatherbedroomdoor.Sheopenedhereyesdrowsilysaying,

    “ein.Whoisitthatesknogsoearlyinthem?”

    “Iamsorrytodisturbyourrest,yourmajesty”saidapaceattendantwalkingquicklyintotheroom“butMedusaiswaitingforyouinthegreathallwithurgentmatterstoreport.Sheseemedtobegreatlyagitatedandispagthefloorrestlessly.”

    “Ohdear!Iwonderwhathashappenedn