章節 24: Origins: Demeter's Wrath

[The events happening by the near-end of this chapter are actually set few days / weeks from the current time in the story - I did this to keep a steady narration of the myth from Eleusis. It will make sense, after the next chapter]

A very angry Demeter ascended in Olympus and immediately pounded her way towards the throne room of her home, where she plans to confront Zeus, the father of her daughter.

"ZEUS!" She burst through the entrance, much to Zeus and Hera's astonishment.

"What brings you here, my dear sister?" Hera's tone was so full or sarcasm you can almost smell it.

"HADES!! SUMMON HIM HERE! BRING HADES HERE!!" This is the first time Zeus heard something as demanding as this from Demeter's mouth. She was always so gentle and softspoken before, that's why many mortals adore and respect her.

But in this rare instance, however, he saw his sister lose control like this. He heard the prayers of the mortals below which were directed to the goddess, but it seems that she wasn't hearing those prayers and she's neglecting her duties as the Goddess of Fertility in the Earth's soil. Her very power brings mere mortals on their knees, begging for her mercy, giving her the finest offerings in exchange for it. But she will have none of those.

"Calm down, Demeter. You know too well that I cannot summon someone who isn't in the Mortal Realm." Zeus said, choosing his words wisely, careful not to tick Demeter's final straw.

"I DON'T CARE! JUST BRING HADES HERE!!" She is so adamant with her demands.

"Tell me what business you have with him, then. I can send over Hermes to the Underworld if it is urgent."

"OH IT IS URGENT, VERY URGENT!! HE ABDUCTED MY PERSEPHONE! HE BROUGHT OUR DAUGHTER TO HIS REALM! AREN'T YOU SUPPOSED TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THAT?!"

"HE DID WHAT?!" That unexpected news got Zeus up from his seat. Regaining a bit of his composure, he managed to ask another question at Demeter. "Who told you that news?"

"Hecate informed me that someone has taken my daughter. And it was Helios who confirmed that it was Hades who took her! He said that Hades took away our daughter and brought her to his Realm. He plans to make her his Queen, and nothing can be done about it!"

Thunder boomed from the distance after Zeus got hold of this gossip. He took a deep breath and called out, "HECATE!"

The vacant space to the side shimmered for an instance, and after a loud pop, the Goddess of Magic, Hecate, appeared. She's actually in-charge of the Vision magic transmission from the Olympus Eye. She was wearing a velvety red peplos and her dark hair framed her ebony features. She bowed before Zeus before saying, "How may I be of service, my Lord?" Hera pouted at her actions.

"Is it true? That my daughter, Persephone, was abducted by someone?" The God inquired.

"Yes, my Lord. Persephone was indeed taken by somebody else when she was looking for flowers in the meadows of the Nyssian Plains. I didn't see the entire thing, but I heard her cries for help. I tried to look for her with my magic, but it seems that my Vision could not reach her. So I told Lady Demeter to seek the Omnipresent Sun, and ask him the details for the rest of what happened."

Zeus stroked his beard. "But that would be impossible. Helios is in Tartarus, along with the other Titans."

Demeter cut in to their conversation. "But think about it! I talked to Helios, myself! He was there, inside the consciousness of another man! Who rules over the Realm where Tartarus is?! I bet Hades let a bit of his soul out in a plan to – I don't know – probably overthrow you here in Olympus since his sorry ass is rotting there in his Domain! You have to do something about it, Zeus! LISTEN TO ME!" She roared. Her powers were now beginning to creep throughout Olympus.

The ornamental plants that adore their home were slowly dying, turning into heaps of lifeless forms that crumble even in the slightest touch. The marble at her feet were turning brown, showing signs of decay, and it was beginning to spread all over the throne room.

That sent another wave of worry to Zeus, and even Hera, who was disinterested with Demeter's woes at first, began to show unamused reactions towards the ongoing confrontation.

"IF YOU WILL NOT DO ANYTHING, THEN I WILL TAKE IT UPON MYSELF TO SATIATE THIS ANGER OF MINE! YOU WILL ALL FEEL MY WRATH FOR DOING NOTHING AFTER MY DAUGHTER IS TAKEN AWAY FROM ME!"

After that statement, Demeter casted a curse directed to the entire mankind.

"No plants shall grow until I get my justice. No crops shall be harvested until I am satisfied. The Earth won't bear fruit again. The land shall be barren, and no life shall ever be given the blessings of the Grain once more."

An ominous green light spread throughout the world from the top of Olympus, and the wrath of Demeter was immediately felt by many mortals in the surface. Soon, everything began to wither away, and people had no idea what to do now to survive.

Demeter's form shrank and lost all of its glory – now, she had the appearance of a middle-aged mortal woman who was anything but divine. She lost her eternal youth and glow. She descended and left Olympus, leaving everyone at awe with her power that they never thought she had.

She was often called the 'Good Goddess', for she is the one who grants the mortal fields a bountiful and abundant harvest. She brings fertility to the land, providing mankind with their source of nourishment and provisions. She is one of the most important, if not the most important, deity of Creation. But with her great power, comes a great price when she is crossed. Demeter, once called the 'Good Goddess', is now the harbinger of destruction to the crops and people's most staple need – food.

Yes, she is utterly upset and enraged, but still, a greater grief entered Demeter's heart. After she left Olympus, in one of her desolate wanderings, she came to Eleusis, and sat by the wayside near the well, where many people gawked at her in pity. There, she wept until her eyes can no longer produce more tears.

Metaneira, the wife of King Celeus of Eleusis, found the distraught woman by the well and took her in. Demeter accepted her hospitality. She never revealed that she is a goddess, for she did not feel the need to do so. There, she worked for Metaneira as a babysitter of their son, Demophon.

Demeter nursed the little bundle of joy that is Demophon, and for the first time since Persephone's disappearance, the goddess smiled, feeling like a mother once again. In gratitude for their kindness, Demeter devised a plan to make Demophon immortal, so she started bathing him in the red hearth glow of the fire each night, thus, burning away his mortality.

However, one night, Metaneira saw the ritual, and she screamed in horror after seeing her son in the hearth of the flames burning in their furnace. This prompted Demeter to manifest her recovered youthful goddess form, bearable for mere mortals to see. She glowed in her vibrant colors of green and gold.

"I am Demeter." She told the awestuck woman. "Build me a great temple here in Eleusis, in order to win back the favour of my heart. Establish my glory here, and your people will be spared from my wrath."

Metaneira told her husband about this, and King Celeus did as what he was told. In mere days, the temple of Demeter was completed. Soon enough, Demeter housed herself in the temple, where she continued to grieve for her daughter, and continued to neglect her duty towards mankind. By now, almost everyone is on the verge of dying from starvation.

Zeus saw this from the Vision courtesy of Olympus' Eye from his throne room, and it sure didn't make his day. He already sent a message to his brother to return Persephone, or else, all Olympians will exile him from Olympus and denounce him as one of its Guardians. Hades only replied, "Do you mean for me to hold back my love? No. Exile me if you must. I don't care."

He massaged his temple from the constant headache that these two were giving to him. Finally, he yielded and called out his favourite messenger, to try to deliver a compromise in Hades' Domain. "HERMES!"

The Messenger God appeared. "How may I help you today, Father?"

"You know about Demeter's issues with Hades, right?" Hermes nodded. "Then send him this message so that we can come up with a compromise." He sighed, and then proceeded to narrate his message to Hermes.

The Messenger's frown grew more and more pronounced as he took in more details of Zeus' elaborate plan.