itstarget.ThesoldierswerealstoundedbyKingDimitri’sastonishiandpletelymesmerizedbyhisalmostmagicalskiltarchery.TheSunGodcriedangrily,

    “Dimitri!Whatdoyoumeanbythis?Whydidyouhitmyarrow?”

    “Pleasedon’tbeangry!”saidKingDimitripacifyingly,herarrogantnorhumble.Headdedrespectfully,

    “MostbenevolentandmercifulSunGod.Ifyourarrowhitthesun,whichwasonlydoingitsjob,rotatingonitsorbit,theentiresorsystemwouldforeverfallintodarkness.Withoutsorenergy,thetemperatureoftheearthwoulddropdrasticallyandalllifewouldbewipedout.Idon’tthinkyouwouldliketoseesuchthingshappen,yhness.”Hesmiledmodestlyandtinued,

    “Whatjusthappenedwasryingtoshowoffmyexpertise.IbelieveifIcouldhityourarrow,you,too,couldhitmine.Right?”Apollodidnotanswer.Zeus’sonorousughwasheardfromafarandhewavedatthetwoofthem.Theyswiftlywentbyhorseandchariottowardsthepcewherethetwebannersflutteredinthebreeze.

    KingDimitrijumpedfromhishorseandApolloalightedfromhischariot.TheybothbowedtoZeusandtheostandbyhisside.Zeussonorousvoicesoundedagain,

    “Iwillbethejudgeandpronounceajustandpeacefulsentence.KingDimitrishotdownfivesuns.Apolloshotdownfour.ButifhisgoldarrowhadnotbeenshotdownbyKingDimitri,hewouldalsohavegottenfivesuns.SoIdecrethematchadraw.Letthismattereoday.Fromnowon,youtwoturnfromeofriendsandbeebrothers.”KingDimitriandApollolookedateachother.Theysmiled.Fourhandscspedtightlytogetherandtheyembracedeachotherwarmly.Heroesknoreciateeachother.Mutuadmirationwasevideheirexpressions.Zeustinued.

    “Thoseninesunsseemhighlysuspicious.Ibelievetheyarethepersonificationofsomemonstersanddemons.Iknownotwheretheyarefromnowwhytheygatherheretoday.Ittookyourbinedeffortstodestroythem.heroneofyouwouldhavebeeodealwiththemsingle-handedly.Iamveryhappythatwhatbeganasapunitiveexpeditionendedtallyinsuchamagnifitvictory.Itehetwoofyoutomeetandfighttogethertodestroythesemonstersandeliminatesfortheuniverse.Iamveryhappyaboutthis.....”HestoppedforamomentaaringatKingDimitri,hesaid,

    “Ineverdreamed...Ineverdreamedthatatthisremotepartoftheuniverse,inatinyunknownkingdom,thereisakingsuchasyou,brave,ceousandintelligent.Good!Good!Fromnowon,Inullifyourpreviousretionshipofliegelordandvassal.Youarenolongermysubjedowemeallegiance.Fromnowon,wearebothkingsaonequalfootingastwosns.Ourtwokingdomswillbefriendlytoeachother.”

    14

    “Thankyou,yourmajesty.Thankyouyourmajesty”saidKingDimitri,bowing.“Sinceyousodecree,Iwillobeyyourand.”

    “Butdon’tfetyourpromise”saidZeus.“Startingfromtomorrow,Iwillgiveyouthreedaystopletelydestroyyoldpace.”

    “Iwillkeepmyword”repliedKingDimitri.

    “Well,siisso,Iwillgiveordersformytroopstoreturntoourheavenlykingdom.”

    JustasZeuswasabouttoraisehisarmtoorderthewithdrawal,thetwoyoungnymphswhohadbeelingbyhisside,walkedbeforehimadown.Theysaid,

    “DearfatherZeus,thetwoofushaveaboontoaskofyou.Wewanttomovetothemoontolive.Duringtheday,wewillreturntotheseventhheavehyouandserveyou.Atnightwewillgobaoon.Themoonisthepheearth.WewillbeabletoseeKingDimitriandtheKingdomofDreams.Wewillsobeabletoseet

itstarget.ThesoldierswerealstoundedbyKingDimitri’sastonishiandpletelymesmerizedbyhisalmostmagicalskiltarchery.TheSunGodcriedangrily,

    “Dimitri!Whatdoyoumeanbythis?Whydidyouhitmyarrow?”

    “Pleasedon’tbeangry!”saidKingDimitripacifyingly,herarrogantnorhumble.Headdedrespectfully,

    “MostbenevolentandmercifulSunGod.Ifyourarrowhitthesun,whichwasonlydoingitsjob,rotatingonitsorbit,theentiresorsystemwouldforeverfallintodarkness.Withoutsorenergy,thetemperatureoftheearthwoulddropdrasticallyandalllifewouldbewipedout.Idon’tthinkyouwouldliketoseesuchthingshappen,yhness.”Hesmiledmodestlyandtinued,

    “Whatjusthappenedwasryingtoshowoffmyexpertise.IbelieveifIcouldhityourarrow,you,too,couldhitmine.Right?”Apollodidnotanswer.Zeus’sonorousughwasheardfromafarandhewavedatthetwoofthem.Theyswiftlywentbyhorseandchariottowardsthepcewherethetwebannersflutteredinthebreeze.

    KingDimitrijumpedfromhishorseandApolloalightedfromhischariot.TheybothbowedtoZeusandtheostandbyhisside.Zeussonorousvoicesoundedagain,

    “Iwillbethejudgeandpronounceajustandpeacefulsentence.KingDimitrishotdownfivesuns.Apolloshotdownfour.ButifhisgoldarrowhadnotbeenshotdownbyKingDimitri,hewouldalsohavegottenfivesuns.SoIdecrethematchadraw.Letthismattereoday.Fromnowon,youtwoturnfromeofriendsandbeebrothers.”KingDimitriandApollolookedateachother.Theysmiled.Fourhandscspedtightlytogetherandtheyembracedeachotherwarmly.Heroesknoreciateeachother.Mutuadmirationwasevideheirexpressions.Zeustinued.

    “Thoseninesunsseemhighlysuspicious.Ibelievetheyarethepersonificationofsomemonstersanddemons.Iknownotwheretheyarefromnowwhytheygatherheretoday.Ittookyourbinedeffortstodestroythem.heroneofyouwouldhavebeeodealwiththemsingle-handedly.Iamveryhappythatwhatbeganasapunitiveexpeditionendedtallyinsuchamagnifitvictory.Itehetwoofyoutomeetandfighttogethertodestroythesemonstersandeliminatesfortheuniverse.Iamveryhappyaboutthis.....”HestoppedforamomentaaringatKingDimitri,hesaid,

    “Ineverdreamed...Ineverdreamedthatatthisremotepartoftheuniverse,inatinyunknownkingdom,thereisakingsuchasyou,brave,ceousandintelligent.Good!Good!Fromnowon,Inullifyourpreviousretionshipofliegelordandvassal.Youarenolongermysubjedowemeallegiance.Fromnowon,wearebothkingsaonequalfootingastwosns.Ourtwokingdomswillbefriendlytoeachother.”

    14

    “Thankyou,yourmajesty.Thankyouyourmajesty”saidKingDimitri,bowing.“Sinceyousodecree,Iwillobeyyourand.”

    “Butdon’tfetyourpromise”saidZeus.“Startingfromtomorrow,Iwillgiveyouthreedaystopletelydestroyyoldpace.”

    “Iwillkeepmyword”repliedKingDimitri.

    “Well,siisso,Iwillgiveordersformytroopstoreturntoourheavenlykingdom.”

    JustasZeuswasabouttoraisehisarmtoorderthewithdrawal,thetwoyoungnymphswhohadbeelingbyhisside,walkedbeforehimadown.Theysaid,

    “DearfatherZeus,thetwoofushaveaboontoaskofyou.Wewanttomovetothemoontolive.Duringtheday,wewillreturntotheseventhheavehyouandserveyou.Atnightwewillgobaoon.Themoonisthepheearth.WewillbeabletoseeKingDimitriandtheKingdomofDreams.Wewillsobeabletoseet