Dedication to Apollo:

I close my eyes, and I hear your voice calling my name, reminding me who I am.

I close my eyes, and I see the golden light that surrounds you, reminding me of who you are.

I close my eyes, and I feel your hand upon my shoulder, reminding me that you will always be there.

I open my eyes, and I realize you are everything in my heart, revealing to me that you are more than just a deity.

Apollo, you are the light, love, life, and the everlasting force that makes this spiritual world around us unfold and draws those like me to know your true meaning and existence.

***

Hymn to Gaia:

“I will sing of well-founded Earth, mother of all, eldest of all beings: she feeds all creatures that are in the world, all that go upon the goodly land, and all that are in the paths of the seas, and all that fly: all these are fed of her store.

Through you, O queen, men are blessed in their children and blessed in their harvests, and to you it belongs to give means of life to mortal men and to take it away. Happy is the man whom you delight to honor! He has all things abundantly: his fruitful land is laden with corn, his pastures are covered with cattle, and his house is filled with good things. Such men rule orderly in their cities of fair women: great riches and wealth follow them: their sons exult with ever-fresh delight, and their daughters in flower-laden bands play and skip merrily over the soft flowers of the field. Thus is it with those whom you honor, O holy goddess, bountiful spirit.

Hail, Mother of the gods, wife of starry Heaven; freely bestow upon me for this my song substance that cheers the heart! And now I will remember you and another song also.”

Homeric Hymn #30, 7th Century, BCE.

***

The goddess stood still. She glanced over her shoulder, as the solid doors closed behind her, leaving her in the sacred hall of the gods. She looked around at her surroundings. She very rarely entered this hall, as she wasn’t an Olympian, but she came whenever she was summoned. Today she came because her son sent word for her to be there.

Rhea, my mother, come stand before me.

Slowly Rhea turned her head toward the direction the voice came from. There at the other end of the hall sat her son, Zeus, and he wasn’t alone. She had presumed that this meeting was to be just the two of them. When she had received word that Zeus wanted to see her, she thought it would be as it had always been before. Not this time. His twins, Apollo and Artemis, flanked him and stood in only what could be described in a stance of superiority.

Rhea held her head high and walked with slow grace to the dais. Even though she was granted a place to live on Mt. Olympus, she was still considered to be a Titan, as were the other goddesses who stood on the side of the Olympians during the war that brought her brother-husband, Cronus, out of power and Zeus the title of king of the gods. At the time it was the right thing to do, but now, she had second thoughts.

Rhea stopped at the base of the dais and curtsied before her son and grandchildren. It was a sign of respect and also it was expected of her. She rose to stand and looked Zeus directly in his steel gray eyes, ignoring Apollo and Artemis.

You summoned me, my son?

Yes, tell me, how is Gaia?

Why did you not come to her bed to see for yourself?

You know why.

Ahh, yes, the oil spill has kept you busy. Well, what has kept you preoccupied with toying with the heads of governments of man, has kept Mother Earth, your grandmother, the one who helped hide you from your father’s desire to swallow your infant body, has made her a prisoner of deep sorrow. Her body weakens with each passing hour, and until the natural balance of Earth’s eco-system is restored, she will suffer.

Aradia will heal her, it will take time, but she will heal.

Rhea took a step up the dais and Zeus rose, as if he disapproved of her movement. She didn’t let his glare intimidate her. He may be the king of the gods, but he still was her son. Without her allegiance to him all those years ago, he could have been the one imprisoned in Tartarus instead of her brothers. But here he was, and they were below.

You wish to replace her with this other world you created for your favorite souls to thrive? It will change her. You know that. Gaia will no longer be the goddess she is if she loses her connection with Earth.

She will live and grow strong with Aradia. The Aradians will worship her once we are reestablished as their gods.

He placed his hands on his muscular hips, and she felt the power well up in his fists. Her words angered him, and he was restraining his temper, she could see it in his eyes. He knew she disapproved of creating Aradia. She tried to convince him to wipe mankind off the face of the Earth and start all over again with a race of man like her husband created, the golden race of man, but Zeus refused to give up on the destructive souls.

The men of Earth were destroying the ground they walked upon with their greed for power and they burrowed deep below the ground for their precious oil. War had broken out and countries pitted themselves against other countries for rights to claim the land for more oil. They were pathetic creatures and poisoned the air they breathed with their so called advances in technology and with the waste from their plants, and all they did was make her mother, Gaia, ill.

Please, my son, I ask you again to destroy those creatures before they destroy all of us.

And I say to you again, no. The souls I need will continue to cross the veil to Aradia. Man will survive.

He took the two remaining steps down and stood next to her. His seven-foot frame towered over her five-foot seven body, and she straightened her back to stand tall. She refused to allow him to intimidate her. She was a Titan after all, a race of gods that came long before Zues and his Olympians.

Never question my decision again, Rhea. You may be my mother, but I am still your king.

She lowered her head, as a sign of acceptance of his words, but in her heart, she knew she had to take matters in her own hands. This was not over. In fact, she knew that this was just the beginning, a beginning that was going to pit her against her son, Zeus. She needed to save Gaia before it became too late and her mother’s life force drained from her immortal body.

Ares burst through the doors and ran down the length of the hall to stand next to Zeus. All in attendance turned their attention to the god of war as he spoke.

The warlord is looking for the brat. He is close this time. Father, what do you want to do?

Artemis, go to her and guide her, it is time for her to walk her fated path. Apollo, go to Aradia and make sure the mate I have chosen for her is near the veil to receive her.

He turned and walked back to his silver throne on the dais. He sat down and pointed to Rhea. Go back to Gaia and tend to her. Aradia will heal her; it is only a matter of time.