altimes.I’mafraidit’sbecausemygoldpacehasbeeuncoveredandisagainbrightanddazzling.I’mafraidheisgoingtoreprimandmefoingbayword.Theouteisnotpromising…IamthinkingofleavingyouatasafepcefirstandthengoaZeus.Iamnotafraidtofacehisthousandsofcelestialsoldiersaloneonmysteed,butifyouarewithmeanditestomortalbat,Idonotwishanyharmtoetoythefight.Soitwouldbemuchsafertoleaveyouintheruinsofthepadaskmytwoloyalfriendstoprotectyou.”Charinalookedtowardstheleftandsawamagnifitgoldpacegivingoffasplendidandradiantbrillianderthesunlight.Shecriedout,

    “Isthatthesolidgoldpaceyoutoldmeabout?”

    “Yes”noddedDimitri.“Iorderedittobecoveredwithirontomaskitsdazzlingglitter,butunfortunatelyCyclopsandVioledthebarbariantroopsagainstmykingdmyabsendoccupiedtheGiantMountainsandthegoldpace.Theyorderedtheirtroopstotearofftheironcover;sonowthegoldpacehasregaisinalbrilliandisshiningradiantlyuhesun.ItisgranderandmuagnifitthanZeus’ownbronzepatheseventhheaven,whichissomethingthegodofheavencouldnotpossiblystomach.Hemustlookuponitasachalleohispowerandauthority.That,Ithink,iswhyhewantstoseeme.”Astheyweretalking,Lightniowardsthegroundiifurdedsurelyandaccuratelybythebanksoftheke.

    KingDimitridismountedandthencarriedCharinadownfromthehorse’sbahisarms.Charinalookedaroundandsawutterdestru.Pilrshadbeentoppled,wreckageofthedestroyedbuildingyinruinsbutthescopeandexcellehefnifitpacewerestilldisible.Somepiecesofcssidluxuriousfurniturehadbeenbroken,butwithcarefulworkcouldstillberestored.ShesaidfidentlytoDimitri,

    “GivehinkthatIwouldbeabletore-establishahomehere.”

    “No,no,nodohinkaboutit”saidDimitrishakinghisheadandpointingtowardstheleft.“CyclopsandVioareinthegoldpatheoppositeshore.Anymovementherewilrousethesuspiofthebarbarians.Ifyouseeanyoneingtowardsthissideofthekebyboat,youmusthideyourselfinthedenseforests.Ohyes,Imustytwoloyalfriendstoeandprotectyou.”Sayingso,Dimitriputhisfingersintohismouthtoissueashrilldthe,“CortezandKojak,whereareyou?Areyounearby?Pleaseshowyourselves!”Theheadsoftwofiercetigerspeepedoutfromtheruins.Thoughtheiroldmasterhaddisappearedtotheyknownotwhere,theywereloyaltotheirpostofwatgovertheruinsofhiscastle.Seeingtheiroldmasterstandingbythebankoftheke,theyjumpedoutandrushedexcitedlytowardshim,tailsswitgiheygaveoutroarssoloudandferociousthatthesurroundingareavibratedandshook,sgCharinasomuchthatshehidbehindKingDimitri.Dimitrimadeasignforsilehetwoferociousbeastsstoppedsubmissivelybeforehimandsatdown.HepulledCharinafrombehindhisbadsaidtothetwotigers,

    “ThisismygoodfriendCharina.Sheisaguestindosthatuood?”Thetigersnodded.HethenturoCharinaandmadeintrodus.“ThisoneisKojak.ThatoneisCortez.Theyaremygoodfriends.”ThetwotigerswalkeddocilelytowardsCharinaandrubbedagainstherlegslikefriendlykittensandCharinadidherbesttohideherfearandpattedthemonthehead.KingDimitrithenturoinstructthetwotigersontheirduties.“IfanyonefromtheoppositeshoreshoulddiscoverthatCharinaishereandetowardsthissideoftheketocaptureher,youtwomustprotecther,retreatintotheforestandaskforhelpfromMedusa.Isthatuood?”The

altimes.I’mafraidit’sbecausemygoldpacehasbeeuncoveredandisagainbrightanddazzling.I’mafraidheisgoingtoreprimandmefoingbayword.Theouteisnotpromising…IamthinkingofleavingyouatasafepcefirstandthengoaZeus.Iamnotafraidtofacehisthousandsofcelestialsoldiersaloneonmysteed,butifyouarewithmeanditestomortalbat,Idonotwishanyharmtoetoythefight.Soitwouldbemuchsafertoleaveyouintheruinsofthepadaskmytwoloyalfriendstoprotectyou.”Charinalookedtowardstheleftandsawamagnifitgoldpacegivingoffasplendidandradiantbrillianderthesunlight.Shecriedout,

    “Isthatthesolidgoldpaceyoutoldmeabout?”

    “Yes”noddedDimitri.“Iorderedittobecoveredwithirontomaskitsdazzlingglitter,butunfortunatelyCyclopsandVioledthebarbariantroopsagainstmykingdmyabsendoccupiedtheGiantMountainsandthegoldpace.Theyorderedtheirtroopstotearofftheironcover;sonowthegoldpacehasregaisinalbrilliandisshiningradiantlyuhesun.ItisgranderandmuagnifitthanZeus’ownbronzepatheseventhheaven,whichissomethingthegodofheavencouldnotpossiblystomach.Hemustlookuponitasachalleohispowerandauthority.That,Ithink,iswhyhewantstoseeme.”Astheyweretalking,Lightniowardsthegroundiifurdedsurelyandaccuratelybythebanksoftheke.

    KingDimitridismountedandthencarriedCharinadownfromthehorse’sbahisarms.Charinalookedaroundandsawutterdestru.Pilrshadbeentoppled,wreckageofthedestroyedbuildingyinruinsbutthescopeandexcellehefnifitpacewerestilldisible.Somepiecesofcssidluxuriousfurniturehadbeenbroken,butwithcarefulworkcouldstillberestored.ShesaidfidentlytoDimitri,

    “GivehinkthatIwouldbeabletore-establishahomehere.”

    “No,no,nodohinkaboutit”saidDimitrishakinghisheadandpointingtowardstheleft.“CyclopsandVioareinthegoldpatheoppositeshore.Anymovementherewilrousethesuspiofthebarbarians.Ifyouseeanyoneingtowardsthissideofthekebyboat,youmusthideyourselfinthedenseforests.Ohyes,Imustytwoloyalfriendstoeandprotectyou.”Sayingso,Dimitriputhisfingersintohismouthtoissueashrilldthe,“CortezandKojak,whereareyou?Areyounearby?Pleaseshowyourselves!”Theheadsoftwofiercetigerspeepedoutfromtheruins.Thoughtheiroldmasterhaddisappearedtotheyknownotwhere,theywereloyaltotheirpostofwatgovertheruinsofhiscastle.Seeingtheiroldmasterstandingbythebankoftheke,theyjumpedoutandrushedexcitedlytowardshim,tailsswitgiheygaveoutroarssoloudandferociousthatthesurroundingareavibratedandshook,sgCharinasomuchthatshehidbehindKingDimitri.Dimitrimadeasignforsilehetwoferociousbeastsstoppedsubmissivelybeforehimandsatdown.HepulledCharinafrombehindhisbadsaidtothetwotigers,

    “ThisismygoodfriendCharina.Sheisaguestindosthatuood?”Thetigersnodded.HethenturoCharinaandmadeintrodus.“ThisoneisKojak.ThatoneisCortez.Theyaremygoodfriends.”ThetwotigerswalkeddocilelytowardsCharinaandrubbedagainstherlegslikefriendlykittensandCharinadidherbesttohideherfearandpattedthemonthehead.KingDimitrithenturoinstructthetwotigersontheirduties.“IfanyonefromtheoppositeshoreshoulddiscoverthatCharinaishereandetowardsthissideoftheketocaptureher,youtwomustprotecther,retreatintotheforestandaskforhelpfromMedusa.Isthatuood?”The