"Iknowasecretpassageintothefortress．Iwillleadtheway”shesaid．"Butonlyoion：Youmustkilleverylivingthinginthe🟉🛗semountains，menandanim🏠🛝als．"DonKaffeewaseted，butDimitriwassorrowfuedtofindthatfora💌🐠llhispainstIleentolifeagairedforhimwasashighasthemountainsandasdeepastheos．
Dimitriwokefromhisdreamfeelinggloomyanddepressed，withnoreadypnsofdefenseagainstthisfatalcrisis．ForthetimebeitheothersbacktotheirsurveilsaabouttheseeminglyimpossibletaskhiskingdomagainstIleeraya🞓l．Suddenly，hewasstruckwiththeideathatifhecouldbriolife，socouldhedoitwithothers．Hewasoverjoyedandgatheredhisbeautiestogether．Hegavehisordersbriskly：The500ablebodiednativeswerethtlythesecretpassagenightanddayforthreedays．Itwasalongandwindingvalley，easytoguardbutimpossibletocapture．ItwasinallysuggestedanddesignedbyIleenasameansofescapeinergency，butithadnowbeeh💥ermeansofrevenge．Heorderedboatstoberowedoutandalltheothersweretoldtocrossthekewithhimtothebarrenhillsoherside．Theyweremystifiedwhentheyweretoldtalongspadesandbuckets．Itwasgrowingdark．Campfireswerebuiltalroundthedesote,barrenhill,whichwasatoransformedintoaseofbustlingactivity．Thetwenty-fourbeautieswerebusycarryingwater，lookingforthesoil，sievingthedmixiogethertomakemudcakesforthecreationofnewlives．Theyhaddiscardedtheirloose，floatingsilkgownsastoocumbersome．Nowtheywerewnaked．Inthehardworkofcarrying，diggingormixing，theirtallslenderaifulfiguresretainednimbleelegandgrace，provingtheywerenotjustsexualsymbolsmadefortheenjoymentofmen．
Muddywaterandfragrantperspiratioogetherspottedandshflowinghairastheiyoftheirworkincreasedinthislife-ahcrisis．Heavybreathingc💍🐧ouldbeheardastheywentabouttheirarduoustask．Thetwenty-fourbeautieswithslenderfingersmoldedthesculpt⛞🛟uraltfighterswithbulgingmusclesintheirarmsandlegsandalsotheiableansassignsoftheirmasestrength．Thenthebeautieswouldblowtheirbreathintothemandtheywou🞇ldetolife-strongmuscursoldiers．Theproudcreatorwouldthenpathercreationonthebadsay，"Begood，myboy”andsendhimtotheothersideofthehill．Soonhundredsofsoldierswerecreated．
ThecoldaeousMedusawaswaitingtotraiheartofwar．Attractedbyherbeautyandshakenbyherseverityandsterheybecamewillingpupilsahroughherrigoroustrainingscheduledocilely．DimitriwatchedallthisandwasfortedbythethoughtthatthoughIleenhadbetrayedhim，themajo🆌🎈🏃rityofthebeautieswereloyandwillingtosharehisfatewhichwasatstake．Shoutsofbattlecouldbeheardingfromthevalleyandmessengerscametoreportonthecourseofthebattle，butDimitriwasnottroubledbecausehekhatohesecrettunnelreparedforwar,itregnable．Newsoldiersjoihebattleaftertheirtraining，bringingwiththemrengthandvigor．Dimitriwatchedthemandthought，"Thesearetheonlybeingsnotbornofthehumanuterus，thestraandmostmysteriousofhumanansforreproduwhilywomehislookslikeamaledominatedworld，butiyitistrolledbywomen.”
TheteautumnsunwasstillpowerfundshonewarmlyonDimitri’sseeminglymotionlessfleshbodylyingfortablyonthereer．Buthisbrainwaswhirlingwithactivity．Thecragofdryleavesastheywerecrushedbypassingautomobilesandthedroningofairpnesoverheaddidnotdisturbhisslumber．Ifhecouldsleeponforeverlikethis，itwouldactuallybeablessingb🐏ecausethenhewouldbeabletoliveforeverinhisdreamswithouthavingtofacereality．Thefragranceoffreshly-madecoffeepermeatedtheroomandblendedexcellentlywiththeclear,crispautumnair．
MariannayasshedrovetowardstheKaffee’sluxuriousmansioakenashower，putonherbestsuitandwaslookingforwardtothesubstantialtipshealwaysgotfromMr．Kaffee．"SomesayMr．Kaffeeisanun♆scrupulousman,adonoftheMafia”shethought.“Buthelookslikeanice，generousoldmantome．Why，ifhelikedthefoodIcookforhimandhisfriends，hemightevengivemeafewthousanddolrs!"Andshedimpledatthethought．Theseryhadgottenmorebeautifusshedroveon．Theviewfromtherightsidewindowwastheowithitsppingbluewater；fromhersideshecouldseeendlessspansofmountainranges．Adeadseagullfloatedoer，iandlifeless，softlyppedbythewaves．Lifeahmightseemliketwooppositeextremes，butthedifferencewasactuallyslight．Thatsamebodyhadoncebeenalivelymemberofaflock，flyingfreelyandhappily，butnowitydesertedanddisregarded．TheroadseemedtobebuiltfortheKaffees，astherewerenootherhousesinsight．Suddenly，herthoughtsturoherhusbandandsonandherfacesoftehinkingoftheirimmireunion．ButoherhandtherewasDimitri,whomshetrulyloved．Butonceherhusbandandsoheywouldhavetopart．ThinkingofDimitri，shefrowned．
"WhydidhesaythattherewouldbedrastigesintheKaffeehouseholdinadayortwo?WhydidhewaellMrs．Kaffeetorun?Howdidheknowhername?"Ju🛨🞷stthen，awhiteRollsRoyce，whichMarian🜭🅜nareizedasbelongingtoMrs．Kaffee，camerushingdownthemountainroad,swayingdrunkenly．
BeforeMari🖚📋annacouldgetoutof🗔🛓herway，theoningcarbrushedherfenderandstopped．Rollingdownthewindow，MariannafounditwasnotMrs．Kaffee，butKatherihewomanwhotookrs．Kaffee’sjewelryandexpeumes．Shewas🎋abouttotalktoherwhenKatheriookadiamfrerandthrewittoMariannathroughbothoftheircarwindows，saying，
"It’smyfault．I’minahurry．Thisshouldtakecareofthedamages.”Shesteppedonthegasandwasabout💪🔫🃣todriveonwhensheheardMariannasay，
"Why，Katheri’syou!What’sthehurry?"Katheriookasedlookandsaid，
"Oh，it🗳’sy💚ou,Marianna．Whatareyoudoingh🖠ere?"
"ImetMrs.KaffeetheotherdayandsheaskedmetocateradinnerforMr.Kaffeeandhisfriendstonight．Iwasjustgoinguptoaskthemaboutth🗇🙟emenu．"
"Iwouldn’tgoifIwereyou．Strahingshavebeenhappeninginthathousethesestfewdays．It📪🝬waslikegustsofwindbeforeastorm，forebodingevil．Mr．Kaffeetookhisyadsailedawaywithoutsayingwherehewasgoingorwhenhewouldreturn.ItalllookedfishytomesoItooktheearanddroveoff．Idon’twanttogetinvolvedinthismess．Ifyou’rewise，youwoher.”Withthatshedroveawayhastily．Mariannakobeanavariciouswoman，alwaystoadyinguptoMrs．Kaffeeandsteppingonothersforherownadvaothepostofjewelry-keeper．Watghercarswiftlydisappearing，Mariannathoughtically，"Sheprobablyabsdedwiththejewelrytoo!Thiswholebunchmaybeentangledinadog-fight，whoknows?"Theurnedhercararoundabackthewayshecame.Policesirensscreamedandsquadcarswhizzedby．"Somethingmustreallyhavehappened!"shethought．
Ohirdday，thetenthousandthfighterwascreated．heseemedtoknowhisdestinationandrantojoinhisrades-in-armsimmedi🟉🛗ately．Thetwenty-fournudebeautiessighedinreliefandcppedtheirhandsinjoyathavingfulfilledtheirseeminglyimpossiblemission．Butthreed⛠🛶♎aysofceaselesshardworkhadtake⚑olndtheyalllookedlusterless，disheveledaodropwithfatigue．Dimitricamegedandkissedeaesaying"Nowgoand．Youhavedoneawonderfuljob．Itistimetosleep,restandrecoveryourbeautyandenergy.”
"No，yourmajesty"ohemsaid，"weotrestyet．Ifthereisgoingtobefightigetthemedicalsuppliesready．Foodtofeedthetroopsmustalsobeprepared．Weotletthemgohungry.”Dimitriwasdeeplymovedbytheirselflessloyalty．HebrushedbackthetousledcurlsoftheCaucasiaywithhishands，rubbedoffspecksofcakedmudfromthefaceoftheLatiyaherawandbleedingfingernailsoftheOrientalbeau☙⛝🛖ty，telliogetitateoatohenhewalkedbrisklyawaytoMedusa’ssideofthehill．ThebeautieswerehappyandfortedtoseethatKingDimitriobviouslyappreciatedandcaredforthem．Theydispersedto，getdressedandthengoabouttheirdutieswithrenewedenergy．
Meanwhile，theiigableMedusawasthere,beautiful,imposingandstern,eyesgleaming，stillfullofenergyinspiteofthreedaysofintensedrilling．Hershiningbckskinenhancedherwild,primitiveAfribeauty．Tenthousandfightersstood🅴atattentionbeforeherwhilesheiedtheirranks．KingDimitristrodeontotheptformtoreviewhistroopsandsawthattheywerereadyforbattle．ThehueandthesecrettunnelhaddecreasedAftertryingfruitlesslyforthreedaystogairy，theenemywasobviouslygettingdisdtired．Itwastheidealtimeforaterattack．Dimitriatoransformedhimselftoasavagedeitywiththebodyofamanbuttheheadofamonster，withrhinoceroshornatthetopofhishead．Thefightersgaveashoutofjoyatseeingsuidableleader.LedbyDimitriandMedusa,theychargedthroughthesecrettutackedtheRomanLegions．DimitrifeltasthoughhewaschargingthroughtheMongoliangrassndo-footedsteed，ahoughhewasfightinginthedesertwithitsendlessexpanseofyellowsand．
Battlecriedresounded．KingDimitri’ssoldierswerenakedandweldedonlyprimitiveons，butitdidhem.TheselioedwarriorschargedferociouslyatthefullyarmoredRomanLegions．Totheirastonishmentandbewilderment，thewarriorsfoundthatthoughtheRomanswerefullyequipped，theywerenotsolidshapes，butonlyillusionaryphantoms．WhentheyrushedheadlongintotheranksofthestatelyRomanLegions，theirattackbroughtwithitagustofwhirlwind,onimpactofwhichthephantomsdispersedinalldires．Amidtheturmoilofbattle，allthatcouldbeseenwasonesolitarywoman,uglyanddeformedbymultiplescarstryingtoescape．Medusa，mountedobcksteed，reizedhertobethetraitorIleen．Takinganarrowfromherquiver，shetookaimatthepreyandwithoneinfallibleshotpiercedherthroatbeforeKingDimitricouldstopher．Dimitriimmediatelyspurredhishorseandgallopedover,butIleenwasalreadydead．Hereyeshoweverwerewideopenandfullofhate．Helookedatherregretfully,rememberingtheirpastretionship．Shehadbeenhisfavoriteeformanyyearsandhadtributed🀺muchtowardshisempire.Thusherundyinghatredforhimwasinaway，justified．
Atthatmoment，thephantomsoft🗔🛓heRomanlegionsevaporatedintodarkclouds．Thesedarkcloudsgatheredoverheadandtorrentsofrainpoureddown．RaindropsfellonDimitri’swarriorswhobegabatothesoilfromwhichtheyhadsprung．Ileen’sbody，whichwasalsomadeofearth，sooedtoo．Dimitriwatchedashissoldiersdisappeared，justashisenemieshad，andhewalkedonalohe🇾🞉💗raintowardsthevalleythinking，"Letwhatshoulddispersebedispersed，andwhatshouldturntodustbeturodust．WhenJehovahmademan，heordaihat‘Dustthouartanduntodustthoushaltreturn’.Afterdeath,withtheextinguishmentofthefleshbody,willloveandhatedispersetoo?Orwilltheyremain🎩forever?"
Dimitriwasrudelyawakeheinsistentringingofthephoillhalfasleep，hehadnotquiteshakenoffthemencholyeffectofhisd🜊ream．HeheardthefamiliarvoiariannatellinghimofwhathadhappeheKaffees,thatshewasatthegaragefixingherdwouldbehomesoontogoapartmenthuntingwithhim．Heansweredinmonosylliublesofonly‘OK’and‘yes’andhungup．Hesatthereforawhile，adjustingtotherealworldhehadebacktoandthought，"Thehappeningsofthesestfewdaysarereallylikeadream，butmydreamsthoughbazarre，seemsoreal!However,realityorfantasyitisallpastanddoh．IhaveruinedIleen’slife;IakethesamemistaketwidruinMarianna’saswell．Iamadreamer,bestsuitedtothecarefreelifeIhadbeenliving．WhystayonhereunfortablycoopeduparoyingthelifeofthewomanIlove?Dreamsmaybetrueoritmaynot，butmybittersweetentawithIleenisover，soisthecrisisinmyKingdom．Myfuturedreamsshouldbesweetohinkingso，hisspiritslifted．LeavingahecoffeetableforMarianna，hepushedouthisshoppingcart,stillintactwithhisbelongings,aonhisway,light-heartedandcarefree,thoughalittlepeheonlythingofMarianna’sthathetookwithhimwastheredscarfshehadknittedespeciallyforhim．
Boredwithwaitingiohavehercaratteo，Mariannastrolledleisurelyacrossthestreetforacupofcoffee．Shelookedatthediamsparklingerandwaseted．Buta🍎sshesatthere，shewasonceagainstruckwiththeunfo⛾☗rtablethoughtthatsomehowDimitriseemedtohavehadfhtofwhatwasgoingtohappeuprestlesslyandcalledhimathome．Hisidabsentmindedrepliesarmedherstillmore，soshethre😧wdownsomemohetable，crossedthestreet，tookhercarfromthewaitinglihegarageanddrovehastilyhome．
Thehousetybutthehecoffeetabletoldhereverything．Itsaid，"Beholdthefowloftheair：theysownot，he🐑⚯🔽rdotheyreap；yetyourheavenlyfatherfeedththem"signed"Withlove，DimitriJaariannalookedfromthenoteinherhandtothediamerwithmixedfeelings．Shehadgainedavaluableringbuthadlostabelovedman．Hadshegainedorlost?Knowinghewouldbeonfootpushinghiscartbeforehim，sherushedoutaothepcessheknewhefrequented;buthewasobefound.Afterthatshelookedforhimdesperately,worriedthathewouldingwelndhadosleep，butfindingnotra，sheuoodthatDimitriwasavoidingheronpurpose．Hehadprobablygooanotherdistrict,awayfromhisusualroutes．Beingamaturewoman，sheuoodthewisdomofDimitri’sdecisionandbowedtotheiable．Gradually,shetrolledherfeelingsaaboutpreparingfortheingofherhusbandandson.
ThemafterDimitri1eft,headlinenewsinthepapersreportedontheexplosionatseaofaluxuryyachtbelongingtoMr.Kaffee,presidentofWorldBank;butnotracesoft📒🚔hemanhadyetbeenfound．Itwentontosaythatthesubsequentpowerstrugglebetweentwofasofhislieutenantshadclimaxedinagunfightinwhichthirtypeoplehadbeenkilledorwounded.AmongstthedeadwasMr.🞄👦Kaffee😂swife,Ileen．
Twomonthster，Dimitri’ssolitaryfigureappearedoncemoreathisfavoritehaunt-LakeMerritt．ItwasabusySundayevening;theparkinglotwasfulndwholefamiliesofshopperswerehurryinghereandthere,stogupfortheingweek．Dimitriw🌛⛗asrummagingthroughthegarbage,hiscartfullofemptys．Heybecausethescouldberecycledforanickepiedhecouldlookforwardtoagoodmealtheday．"Moneyiseverywhereifonlyyouwouldlookforit"hethought．Inthegarbagefrontebakery，hefoundabagofpartiallyeatendoughnutsandbuns．"Whatawaste!"hethoughtashebitintohisdelicioustreat．Hefinishedoneandputtherestintohiscartforfutureenjoymentbeforetinuinghissearptys．Suddenlyhebecameawareofthepresenceofanotherperson.Ap👊🖫airofwomaindarkbrowoppedinfrontofhimandstoodstill．Dimitri’seyestraveledupwardsfromthoseshoestothefadsaw💔👦Marianna,eyesmoist,standingtherelookingathim．
"HowhaveyoubeenDimitri?”sheaskedchokingwithemotion．🗵"I’velookedeverywherebutcouldn’tfindanytraceofyou．Isthishowyouhavebeenliving?"Shelosttrolofhervoidwasalmostsobbing．Dimitriwasremorsefulforhavinghurther，buth🏞eonlyremainedsilent．Amiddle-agedmanandaboywerest🔵andingbyaparkeddtheboywascalling