Yet the process wasn't so bad—after all, the daughters of the Ocean were truly both gentle and warm.
They were exactly like the legends in memory!
If not for pressing duties and an unfinished great task, he really would have liked to stay in the Ocean a while longer.
Coming to the ocean current felt like coming home; being in this Ocean felt far better than on the tiny island of Crete!
Every goddess here in the ocean current was enthusiastic, their speech pleasant and kind—he adored the Ocean!
Zeus wandered the Ocean for more than ten years, though there were still no units of time yet, since even the sun and moon were currently forbidden to roam the world.
And the Three Seasons goddesses had not even been born.
For the present world, time was the least meaningful thing.
The gods do not age or die; the passage of time is imperceptible to them.
A god's spirituality is abundant and power formidable—especially for embodiments of law. They are not worn down in spirit over the long ages; their divine power, wisdom, and insight grow day by day, and their hearts remain forever young.
Gods are, in the end, beings different from mortals.
The one thing that pains them is solitude. Fortunately there were many ocean gods, and loyal water-element beings for company—only the Ocean was simply too pure.
Through tireless effort, Zeus finally obtained Metis's location from an ocean nymph whose figure undulated like waves.
After taking leave of the reluctant maiden, Zeus sped toward the place where Metis dwelt.
Flying through the sky, he saw from afar a goddess beyond words.
A true goddess.
She matched perfectly the goddess of his impression.
Even among the Oceanids, a company of peerless maidens, her outward form was beauty enough to make even a god's breath catch.
All the more, her essence was so brilliantly lovely that even a god could not help but desire to possess her.
She was the embodiment of the law of wisdom in the cosmos.
She was wisdom's highest manifestation.
The goddess of wisdom—Metis.
A goddess who needed no other title.
Wisdom—this was the greatest, most glorious, most precious, most beautiful, most enticing title.
She was a law begotten by the world-encircling ocean current and by the goddess who moistens the world's fresh waters.
She was the most important of all the laws of life—perhaps even without peer.
She was the embodiment of supreme wisdom.
Her beauty could not be described in words; her divine essence exerted infinite attraction and temptation upon all life.
From the day of her birth this goddess had been protected with all their hearts by Oceanus and Tethys; she was not allowed to set one step upon the earth.
They were one hundred percent certain that the instant this daughter set foot on land—once Kronos learned of it—he would, without a moment's hesitation or the least scruple, use every means to swallow her.
Her body was that of an exquisitely beautiful maiden, with purple streaming hair as long as her own form, and austere golden eyes that held boundless spirit and wisdom.
A dress woven of starry radiance veiled her indescribably perfect divine body.
(Reference illustration of the concrete form of the goddess of wisdom, Metis)
Only once the cosmos had wisdom did clothing exist.
At this moment the goddess of wisdom hovered above the Ocean. With a casual gesture she summoned immeasurable water element and deftly condensed it into a vapor-built planet, then flicked it into the cosmos beyond the Ocean, adding a new adornment to the vast, empty void.
This was merely a bit of pastime to while away her boredom.
Zeus's gaze toward Metis flashed with a momentary complexity; then he flew forward and, with the sunniest, most cheerful smile, greeted her: "Beautiful bright-eyed goddess, might it be convenient for one so noble as you to be asked a question?"
Metis turned a deaf ear and did not even look, merely summoning more water element on her own, condensing another planet and tossing it into the cosmos—treating Zeus as if invisible.
Zeus shrugged, not in the least embarrassed, came to Metis's side, and imitated her by heaping up endless water element, the pure water of the Ocean, attempting to create a planet.
This was not as simple as imagined; it required extremely high control. On his first attempt, just as success seemed at hand, it failed with a resounding crash; a vast mass of pure water fell back into the Ocean, and the towering waves it threw up were about to engulf them both.
Any water element that neared Metis at once circled her gently; no matter how fearsome the surge, it could not touch her in the least.
As for Zeus, unguarded, he was struck by the "planet" as it fell and plunged into the Ocean, then clambered out, soaked to the skin, looking a bit bedraggled.
This time Metis finally looked at Zeus; her austere golden eyes were unruffled as she said coolly, "God from the earth, you've been looking for me all this time—what do you want?"
Zeus shook the water from his hair and asked with a smile, "Beautiful goddess, how did you know I was looking for you?"
At his words, Metis glanced at Zeus, then turned and dove into the Ocean, about to leave.
Zeus hurriedly dove after her, calling out, "Noble daughter of Oceanus, goddess of wisdom, please stay your steps!"
"I have come to seek aid."
Metis halted, but did not turn back. In a chill, calm voice she replied, "Those who seek help must be sincere—first state your identity."
Zeus laughed easily, taking no offense at her attitude, and said quickly, "Noble goddess, I am Zeus, son of Queen Rhea."
The cool and composed goddess of wisdom narrowed her eyes slightly and slowly turned to ask, "How did the Queen accomplish it? With the help of the great Mother?"
Zeus sighed inwardly—dealing with a clever god did make things easier.
Now, within the Ocean, he could speak more freely; aside from the ocean god and goddess, there was no fear of other gods overhearing.
He nodded lightly, drew closer to Metis, and answered in a soft voice, "With the help of the great Mother and the Lady of Night."
Metis dipped her fine-browed head; her purple tresses floated like a pure ocean current.
"Then you have come to seek my Father's help?"
Zeus nodded—and then shook his head. "Yes, and no."
"This is a very dangerous matter; I cannot, not yet, ask the great Ocean God to take risks with me."
"That will be later. This time I have come for only one thing."
"And that is to ask help of the beautiful goddess before my eyes."
Metis suddenly asked, "Few know of me; even those who do do not understand me. I have nothing to draw divine notice."
"Honorable so—son of the Queen, even if you went straight to visit my Father, you would be a distinguished guest at his seat. Why have you come to seek me?"
Zeus said solemnly, "Because the Ocean God cannot help me win final victory—but you can."
"This is ordained by the unseen."
Metis's cherry lips parted as she exhaled a gentle breath; for an instant she was lost in thought, who knows what passing through her mind.
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