She was, beyond question, second only to Zeus himself—the most resplendent, most beautiful, most flawless, most powerful, and most vast of great deities.
So was her divine body.
As the embodiment of the source of all matter, if Gaia's divine body bore even the slightest flaw, there would be no such thing as perfection anywhere in this universe.
For she herself represents "matter," she herself represents the most perfect "existence."
Zeus stepped forward in person and, gently and respectfully, helped the Mother of All to take a seat at the guest place.
Then he strode up to the supreme throne, swept his divine cloak, and sat with a grandeur full of sovereign majesty.
He spread his great hand; the thunder scepter that signifies the universe's highest authority turned into a streak of golden light and settled firmly in his grasp.
He gave the scepter a light wave, and Clymene, who had been waiting at his side, personally presented Gaia with a cup of fragrant mead.
Then, noiselessly, she withdrew with all the attendants in the hall.
For a time, only the two of them remained in the vast God-King's temple.
With a ceremonial smile and a calm yet authoritative tone, Zeus said slowly, "My honored Mother, if there is anything, please speak."
Gaia sat with perfect poise, yet her expression carried an exceedingly rare restraint, almost like a young girl meeting a monarch for the first time.
Having been "taught" more than once by Zeus, this great Mother of All had learned how to carry herself when petitioning the God-King.
Lightly holding the golden cup, her beautiful, slender jade fingers unconsciously caressed the chill of its rim.
She carefully arranged her words in her heart before speaking slowly: "Your Majesty the great God-King, I have something to ask of you."
"May I ask, Your Majesty, what exactly has happened regarding the laws of Kronos and the others?"
At this Zeus showed a look of sudden comprehension. "Oh, so it is that matter."
Still wearing a warm smile, he said in a gentler voice, "Honored Mother, a few days ago I did indeed go to the Underworld, intending originally to release the former God-King and the rest."
Hearing this, Gaia's heart gave a sudden leap, and a gleam of irrepressible joy flashed in her eyes.
But in the space of a blink she recovered her clarity.
She knew that since her children's laws had become Zeus's, there must be more to it.
Sure enough, Zeus went on: "Yet after a candid and thorough talk, I found they had not recognized their errors, did not believe in my mercy, and did not respect the order of me, the new God-King."
"My Father was still as irascible and cruel as ever; Iapetus, as stubborn and dead-loyal; Coeus and Phoebe never trusted my character, still clinging to unrealistic luck."
"So they require more schooling and more tempering. Until they truly admit their wrongs, I cannot release them."
Gaia parted her lips to speak.
Zeus, however, lifted a hand and, in a manner that brooked no dispute, cut her off.
"I had intended to release them," he continued. "If they had truly recognized their errors, I would have allowed them to share in this beautiful and flourishing new universe."
"But they chose to remain obstinate in opposition."
"Now that the Heavenly Order is set, the universe is about to enter its most rapid, large-scale development."
"And their laws are the universe's source-laws—the indispensable great foundations of this cosmos."
"So, though I was not willing in my heart, I could only first strip and divide their law-authorities, and entrust them to principal deities suited to them. For the universe's development requires these laws."
"As for those old gods, I can only keep them confined in Tartarus, to receive the punishment and instruction due them."
"When they have truly learned repentance, I will consider granting them freedom again."
At this Gaia was shocked and angered, unable to restrain herself. She rose abruptly and cried out, "Zeus! You—you have actually stripped their law-sources?! How is that any different from utterly destroying them?"
"You—how could you do such a thing? Kronos is your Father, after all!"
Zeus waved a hand coolly and said in a flat tone, without the least emotion, "Honored Mother, when the former God-King swallowed, without mercy, my brothers and sisters, and what he mistook for my laws… at that time—"
"Did he regard us as his children? We were merely 'nourishment' for his own aggrandizement."
His brows drew slightly together; his body leaned forward a little; a formless weight—heavy as the whole firmament—descended slowly.
In a cold, unquestionable tone he said, "The former God-King has long since done every inhumane deed. Yet I still preserved their divinity and their bodies."
"I still preserve the 'existence' of the former God-King and those decayed, obstinate deities; I have not erased them utterly."
"Indeed, if they are willing to repent in the time to come, I may yet release them. Now—how can you accuse me of injustice?"
Zeus made no grand gesture.
Yet the simplicity of his posture brought such pressure upon Gaia that she could scarcely breathe.
Drawing a deep breath, she forced her tone gentler and said softly, "Your Majesty the God-King, I have no intent to blame you—pray do not misunderstand."
"I only—only think that perhaps there may be other, better ways."
"And did you not promise me that, when the time was right, you would release them?"
Zeus gave a quiet laugh and said slowly, "Yes—and I will never go back on my word."
"And I have already attempted to release them. It was they who abandoned the precious opportunity you and I together granted them."
"I stripped their honors and law-authorities in the highest name of the universe's Sovereign—God above gods, King of all gods."
"This in no way conflicts with my promise to you."
He paused a moment, then, looking earnestly at Gaia's ever-darkening face, slightly softened his tone.
"Honored Mother," he said softly, "I hold you in deep respect and am deeply grateful for all you have done for me and for this universe."
"You are the great Mother loved by all living things—and I love you as well."
"For that reason, I now still assure you: my promise stands. I will still release them when the time is right."
"And I can now clarify for you what 'the right time' is."
"When they truly repent of the wrongs they have committed—then, that will be the time for them to receive freedom."
"As for the laws they have lost, I do not equate the loss of laws with annihilation."
"Their divinity and their bodies still exist well. So long as their 'self' remains, they 'exist.'"
"When they are released, if you wish to grant them laws anew—and it be proper—I will not stand in the way."
Gaia pressed her verdant lips together tightly.
Zeus's words were well-grounded—equal parts grace and severity—and left her with nothing to say.
As for being unreasonable…
Well—she could not win a fight, could she?
After that exchange, and after witnessing with her own eyes Zeus's indisputable majesty, the last thought in Gaia's heart was extinguished.
She was now wholly certain that force could no longer be used against the Zeus of today.
Nor did she doubt what he had just said.
Since her children still would not submit and admit fault, they surely would not have cooperated when their authorities were stripped.
No—even had they feigned submission—they surely would not have cooperated.
A law-source, to a god, is life itself!
They could never willingly cooperate in handing it over!
Kronos in particular—Gaia was sure her violent son would never so easily submit to anyone.
Yet even with no cooperation, Zeus still, in so short a time, took their authorities with ease.
That could not be done on the strength of his "Severance" alone.
The authority of Severance is mighty; Zeus himself is mighty.
But if force is used, unless the other party has utterly lost all capacity to resist—and lost all consciousness as well—there is no way it could be done so easily.
And to make gods so powerful lose all consciousness and thought in an instant—
There is almost only one possibility…
Zeus has, fully and completely, taken command of the supreme authority of "spirit"!
Of this, Gaia could now be absolutely certain.
The God-King Zeus—already peerless in might and wisdom across the universe—had now obtained the most fundamental authority, "spirit."
This, truly, is enough to make any god who would oppose him sink into the deepest despair—before a truly invincible God-King.
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