Everything else may have to wait until the day when humankind can truly raise a voice of their own in this world.
Only then, perhaps, will they truly draw the gods' attention.
The road humanity must walk is still far, far too long.
When Metis returned to Olympus and to her own temple built of cloud and starlight, filled with the breath of light and serenity,
what she saw was only her silly little sister, still steeped in boundless happiness, nearly melted into a puddle of spring water.
The pure, lovely Eurynome was sprawled most unceremoniously upon the cloud-bed Zeus had crafted with his own hands for Metis.
She kept letting out silly "hee-hee" giggles, her delicate body rolling about the soft bed like a kitten.
Her divinity was immersed in a vast sense of bliss.
She did not even notice Metis had come to the bedside until she suddenly "eh?"-ed and jolted awake from her honeyed dream.
When Eurynome realized her good sister was back, delight and surprise mingled, and she gave a soft cry: "Sister, you're back?"
Looking at her sister's lovestruck silliness, Metis felt both exasperated and amused—but above all, sincerely happy for her.
The wisdom goddess knew deeply how painful it is to love without obtaining.
She sat upon the cloud-bed as well, gathered her beloved sister gently into her arms, and said with doting affection, "I'm back."
"Silly girl, only noticing now."
Eurynome giggled and nestled close into her sister's ample embrace—ample enough to rouse any goddess's envy—and nuzzled with a spoiled sweetness.
"Sister, I felt a great commotion outside. What exactly happened?"
In a soft voice, Metis told her in detail all that had occurred upon the earth.
Eurynome listened quietly, nodding from time to time.
Only when Metis finished did she say softly:
"Sister, it seems His Majesty truly values this newborn 'humanity.'"
"Not only allowing them a noble form akin to the gods, but even generously allowing you to grant them the most precious 'wisdom to grow freely'—that can be called the greatest gift in the cosmos."
"His Majesty even sent down the sacred creative thunder Himself and asked our sister Dione to act, so that they would be harmonized in yin and yang and able to flourish in health."
Metis nodded in acknowledgment, a trace of gravity in her tone. "Prometheus and Epimetheus turned out to be one being in two bodies. Their true complete form—its might and greatness—was astonishing in the extreme."
"They have also bestowed far too many traits upon this newborn humankind. This brand-new race is destined to have boundless potential. Even I cannot see how far they may ultimately go."
Eurynome nodded again and again.
Metis's fingertips gently combed her bright blue, flowing hair as she continued, "But they are mortals, and newborn at that. Everything is only beginning; they are still frail and small. If you have time, you can go take a look and lend them a hand."
"You can also tell Father and the others of this, and ask our brothers and sisters to keep an eye on and care for humankind. Even if they have no interest, it would be best not to harm this new race lightly."
"After all, in a certain sense, they can be counted as my children. And His Majesty has set great hopes upon them."
Eurynome nodded repeatedly. "Sister, I understand."
Metis had not the least doubt of her sister's cleverness, so she said no more.
She raised her eyes to Eurynome, then suddenly curved her lips, leaned closer with a tilt, and teased with a smile: "Enough, let that rest for now—see for yourself when you have time."
"My good sister, are you satisfied now? Did our beloved God-King take responsibility for you?" The wisdom goddess teased with a hint of playful mischief.
Eurynome's pretty face flushed at once; like a startled fawn she ducked straight into her good sister's broad, soft arms, and for a time could only keep silly-giggling.
Metis shook her head indulgently. The moment she'd entered the hall, she'd felt something was off.
At first she had thought the bed was so spotless because her beloved God-King had deliberately tidied it up.
But now it seemed nothing of substance had happened at all.
Her silly sister's aura was far too pure, utterly untouched by her beloved God-King's particularly domineering scent.
Well… not entirely untouched; there was a trace.
But that wisp was less than what still lingered upon Metis herself.
Metis looked at her happily daft sister, half laughing and half crying, and gave her an exasperated glare.
At most there had been kisses and cuddles. Nothing substantive had happened—yet she was already this happy.
If the deed had been done, would she not be truly silly by now?
Who knew what that beloved rascal of hers had done to her silly sister?
Likely he had spun those irresistible sweet words again, coaxing her into this state.
The wisdom goddess shook her head inwardly. She knew her beloved's eloquence quite well.
Let alone this silly little sister—even she herself could not resist it.
Still, it was strange that her beloved God-King had not thoroughly "eaten" her good sister.
Very odd—quite out of keeping with her beloved's usual divine disposition.
Metis knew there must be other matters at hand; otherwise it would not be so.
If it was because of humankind's birth…
That only further showed how extremely her beloved valued this newborn humanity.
She thought no more, but wrapped her arm around Eurynome again and gently pinched her tender cheek. Looking upon this unpromising display, she could only be helpless.
"My silly sister, do you not know to seize such a good chance?"
"When did His Majesty leave?"
Faced with the wisdom goddess's helpless words, Eurynome at last came back to her senses.
She giggled—very sweetly at that—nuzzled in her sister's arms, and cooed, "Good sister, thank you—truly thank you!"
"I—I'm so happy! His Majesty—our beloved—said that in a few days He will gather the gods and proclaim me His wife—hee hee hee~"
At this off-target delight, Metis gave her a vexed sidelong glance. "Just that?"
Eurynome froze, and asked blankly, "Sister, is… is that not enough? I'm to be His Majesty's wife."
The wisdom goddess truly could do nothing with this pure little fool.
She put a little force into her fingers, pinched her sister's delicate nose-tip, and gently chided, "You! The title of wife is important, yes—but the tangible matters are more important still!"
"Do you not want your beloved Zeus to dote upon you a bit more?"
The gracious Eurynome, dizzy with joy, slowly sobered. Her wits regained the high ground, though she still did not quite understand.
She said in a small voice, "Sister, of course I do."
"I feel His Majesty does like me…"
Metis could only grind her teeth in affectionate exasperation. She gently tapped her sister's smooth brow with a jade-like finger, the motion soft yet firm.
In a tone both doting and helpless, she scolded with mock severity, "My silly sister! Look at Selene, the Mistress of Clear Radiance!"
"When has she ever asked His Majesty for any title? With her station, beauty, and ability, the moment she opened her mouth, would our soft-hearted, amorous God-King not agree?"
"Why then does she refuse?"
"Because what she wants is the real, tangible things."
"What she wants is our God-King's true doting; she wants a lasting twinge of guilt to remain in His heart."
"She wants that subtle feeling of ever hovering at the edge of His grasp while still drawing Him on, teasing Him—forever giving Him a touch of novelty."
The wisdom goddess narrowed her golden eyes slightly, a sharp light of insight flashing within. "Just watch—whenever the Lady of the Moon wills, she can always draw our God-King away for quite a while."
Eurynome listened thoughtfully, yet her sea-clear, azure eyes still held a trace of innocent confusion.
She asked softly, "Sister, then… what should I do?"
"When I… when I'm by His Majesty's side, my whole god-body goes woozy—I don't know anything at all…"
Metis shook her head, truly helpless.
This silly sister of hers had been well and truly eaten alive by their beloved God-King.
And her temperament was far too gentle and yielding—she did not even know how to contend a little.
Given their God-King's amorous nature, one could foresee there would be more and more goddesses around Him in the future.
Even if His love did not lessen, without a bit of initiative, hoping for more company would be truly difficult.
Too many wolves, too little meat—there simply wasn't enough to go around!
Though gods are deathless and eternal, with endless time, there is still only one God-King to share at any given moment!
If one goddess has His time, the others can only look on.
Metis heaved a deep sigh, then at once rallied herself.
No!
With her silly sister in such a state, she needed firm instruction!
"Eurynome, my dearest sister. Before, I only thought to give you an opening. That was my mistake."
"Now your sister must properly teach you how to truly win our beloved God-King's favor!"
Metis spoke with utmost seriousness. "Good sister, know that to love a god is to bring Him joy."
"And if you want Him to be unable to do without you, to think of you at every moment, you must bring Him 'the utmost' joy."
"If, because of love, or because you have already obtained, you grow slack in your feeling for each other, even to the point of hurting one another,
"then no matter how deep the love once was, in the passage of time and the drip of disappointment, it will ultimately be worn away."
"Our beloved God-King is shining beyond measure; throughout the cosmos there are far too many goddesses gathered around Him."
"He has never been a heartless god, but with such overflowing feeling He will inevitably, in an unguarded instant, favor one and slight another."
"And so we must tend well to our love."
"If you truly love Him, how could you bear not to make Him happy? How could you bear to leave His heart without that unique delight that belongs to you alone?"
"If you only stand there and wait, then upon what grounds do you expect Him to keep His gaze long upon you? Upon what grounds do you demand He always take the initiative?"
The wisdom goddess spoke sincerely, heart and soul guiding her dear sister. "Our beloved God-King is generous and gentle. He has given us absolute protection and safety, and that supreme honor and radiance."
"Then we must repay Him with all our strength—with love as generous and glorious."
"Love should be a feast of mutual endeavor, not a one-sided taking."
"This quiet waiting of yours—entirely insufficient!"
"Next, your sister will properly teach you how to make our beloved God-King like you all the more!"
"If He likes something, then let us satisfy Him."
"Know this: if you cannot give Him fulfillment, He will go look for it elsewhere."
Eurynome's pure eyes grew brighter the more she listened.
Her small head bobbed again and again, feeling she truly had learned a great deal.
The silly sister's thirst for knowledge pleased Metis exceedingly. She nodded in satisfaction.
Then she hugged her sister tight and, in the most private divine-thought channel, with pictures and words in finest detail, began her most critical instruction on "how to capture the God-King."
The crystal-clear Eurynome's exquisitely pretty cheeks soon flushed like a red sunset, so hot they could bleed.
In fact, after Zeus had rather simply tasted the supremely sweet innocence of this Oceanid,
He soon left for the time being.
Fashioning gods needn't be rushed, but this matter of fashioning humans did need a personal watch.
In any case, the declaration had been set, and this exceedingly compliant, gentle goddess was docile to the bone. He could "eat" her whenever He pleased; there was no need to hurry.
In His supreme temple, on the God-King's throne, Zeus watched the whole process of Prometheus making humans.
And now that humans had been born, He had more pressing tasks to attend to.
More urgent still.
At this moment, though humankind had appeared, to speak plainly—these newborn humans were in for a hard time…
After all, the cosmos's various laws and concepts were far from complete.
The direct consequence was—chaos.
On the current foundation of the Heavenly Dao order, many concepts and laws no longer had to await the appearance of a corresponding deity to exist.
Just like "death" and "sleep"—though the two deities corresponding to them had not yet appeared, what should die would still die.
However…
Now, to die meant only violent death…
And even that, with difficulty.
But this was not necessarily a good thing.
Without a corresponding deity, the related law and concept were still imperfect.
They were in an ungoverned domain—still in a relatively chaotic, primal state.
In such a chaotic state, anything could happen.
Put simply, it was like trying to force a program to run before it had even been written.
It was not that the bugs rested upon the program—it was that the entire program rested upon bugs. How could there not be serious trouble?
Lack of order is the most terrible thing for all existence.
All progress in reality is a process of "order" continuously conquering "disorder."
The present world of existence is ordered.
And it is ever advancing, toward better, more perfected, more stable order.
Chaos and void, on the other hand, are absolutely disordered and will remain so forever.
Thus, as long as order keeps advancing, it can forever conquer the disorder of chaos.
Hence the most terrifying Tartarus has, in truth, always taken the beating—this is the root reason.
Because it is chaotic, disorderly, void, blind; it stands for the most thorough ending.
Order must conquer disorder.
Only when order completely collapses and all returns to disorder—only then will Tartarus wholly devour and annihilate all existence.
So long as order endures, Tartarus belongs forever to "the future."
At present, because the material of their origin was far too extraordinary,
humans could live for a very long time relying on their bodies alone, and were very hardy.
But this did not at all mean they knew only the happiness of longevity.
They would still be wounded, still die.
But they would only die when the body utterly decayed and broke down.
And that was a very long and painful time.
They would still fall ill—and, because dying came harder, might bear more suffering.
They would still grow old—but because the body was too resilient, that aging would be drawn out terribly long.
To be ill and old and unable to die easily—without a perfected law of death—was suffering beyond imagining.
Their bodies would also undergo all sorts of mutations for various reasons.
But because no "extraordinary" order yet existed, they could only rely on themselves, enduring chaotic, disordered changes and unknown consequences.
If even "death" becomes very difficult, then "living" itself may be a terrible torture.
Though the brothers Prometheus and the nine Muses were tending these newborn humans,
there were simply too many humans; the myriad matters on the road to civilization were beyond counting.
Eleven gods minding millions of newborn blank pages—hoping for no problems at all—was impossible.
And in many cases, setbacks, experience, and lessons are the indispensable steps upon civilization's road of progress.
Only by knowing error and tasting pain could one avoid repeating them later.
The necessary concepts for healthy survival that humankind—and indeed all living beings—now lacked were far too many.
So His Majesty the great God-King, for the sake of all living beings in the cosmos, set out to seek His most beloved goddess—
the great Mother Goddess who represents "birth" and "reproduction"—Hera.
"Birth" and "reproduction" themselves embody two most important concepts:
the "newborn" of all existence, and "evolution."
Only with unceasing reproduction can there be unceasing adaptation—and thus unceasing evolution.
Even this whole universe is likewise constantly "reproducing," constantly "evolving."
It is precisely this evolution that lets ever-stronger "existence" overcome unchanging "nothingness."
"Existence" has never been a static state, but a constant, dynamic process of "becoming."
If a race, a concept, or even the universe itself stops producing "new" individuals or forms,
then its "whole" loses the vitality to cope with change; its very "existence" grows precarious.
Thus "reproduction" is the first premise of "survival!"
And the meaning of reproduction lies not only in the continuation of numbers, but in the birth of the "new," bringing new "possibility" to the race as a whole.
Every birth is a fresh attempt and adaptation to the environment; a recombination of the gene pool; an iteration of thought.
It is this endless, unremitting newborn tide that builds the great ladder of "evolution!"
To exist is to reproduce; to reproduce is to evolve!
Just as the great Mother of All bore the first God-King Uranus—that too was propagation.
The birth of all gods—this too is propagation.
The Mother of All and Uranus begot the gods; the gods intermarried and bore new deities.
Each new god's birth meant that one or more brand-new "laws," "concepts," and "powers" had been born into the universe.
This is "the birth of a divinity."
And this, likewise, is the "reproduction" and "evolution" of all reality.
All reality—this entire universe—is a vast Mother-body that is constantly "reproducing."
The formation of new galaxies, the appearance of new life, even the manifestation of new physical laws—
each birth of a new law is the strongest proof that existence is in the act of self-reproduction and evolution.
Only by continually "reproducing," continually giving birth to new existence, can the universe remain forever on the path of progress.
To exist is to beget; to beget is to evolve!
When a system—be it a biological population, a pantheon, or the universe itself—stops reproducing and no new existence is born, then its road of evolution has reached its end.
This state of "no longer evolving" is absolute, true "death."
For a solidified system cannot face any challenge.
When all existence can only fight over the stock at hand, then under time's scour, the only end is collapse and extinction.
If all existence begins to solidify and no new existence is born, that means everything is heading for the final end.
Everything will be utterly swallowed by the most terrible Tartarus.
When "reproduction" slows or even halts, it means the development of order has a grave problem. If it is not resolved, it will end…
The old God-King Kronos's order was ended largely for this reason.
For his own benefit he ignored the cosmos's progress; thus, to avoid being overtaken by Tartarus, the whole universe, whether intentionally or not, would bring him to an end.
Taking Kronos as a mirror, Zeus chose another road—progressing together with all existence!
Zeus chose to stand with all existence—to be one community.
By supreme might He promotes the healthy survival and evolution of all existence, while drawing into Himself the brilliant civilizations they create, then in turn promoting further evolution—forming a virtuous circle.
Often, ceding appropriately lets everything be better.
When the universe advances, it is as if Zeus advances.
This is why Hera is the greatest—and the most exalted—Mother Goddess!
And the goddess best suited to, and best able to match, the great God-King Zeus!
If Zeus would have the universe advance forever, He must have this great Mother Goddess who embodies all "reproduction," "birth," "newness," and "evolution!"
Hera is the "Great Mother" who matches Zeus as the "Great Father!"
None other!
Before Zeus finally became the all-knowing, all-powerful God, the only one who could ever accompany Him without falling behind, forever supporting Him, forever constant to Him, and accompany Him to the very end of that all-knowing, all-powerful road—was Hera!
Because the goddess Hera accompanies Him, Zeus can ever outrun the forever-pursuing Tartarus through endless ages,
until at last He becomes that supremely good, supremely beautiful, all-knowing, all-powerful God.
Because the goddess Hera accompanies Him, all existence in this universe can avoid being overtaken and utterly devoured by the dreadful Tartarus,
and until the all-knowing, all-powerful God finally conquers the ultimate void and chaos, "existence" can endure, eternally "existing!"
Goddess Hera!
Zeus's eternal, supreme beloved!
Zeus's eternal, indispensable, sovereign beloved!
None other!
The Supreme Archgod, Great Father, the One God, Lord of Heaven—His eternal consort at His side!
The eternal supreme Queen of Heaven! The Sovereign Queen of the heavenly kingdom! The sole Lady of Paradise! The greatest Mother Goddess upon the golden throne!
Only—Hera!
She is the universe's final fulfillment reserved for Zeus—the eternal promise by which existence is sustained!
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