The young boy approached the traitor of the highest god with apprehension. The traitor's head hung low on his chest, his blonde hair, darker at the roots, fell over the face of the prisoner. His long muscular arms stretched out like bird wings, with palms nailed by pieces of iron that one could find only on Olympus. He was larger than any mortal. He was a Titan. One of those who helped Zeus seize Kronos's throne. His enormous body lay motionless except for his chest slowly rising and falling, scarred at the bottom from the daily scraping of the claws bearing Zeus's symbol. His garment was torn, remnants of cloth hanging lifelessly on the last threads of flax. The young man, clutching a water skin tightly, swallowed and stepped closer to the Titan.
"Are you brave, or merely a fool, boy? It is not wise to come to this place unless you wish to know the wrath of the Gods. Leave while you still can." A chill ran down the boy's spine as the Titan spoke. The guttural, deep voice resonated through the boy's body. To calm himself, he gripped the water skin tighter and continued forward toward the Titan. He hesitated to answer the Titan's question, perhaps so as not to reveal his origin. Or maybe he did not know an answer that would satisfy the Titan.
"Then you are a fool. What brings you here, madman? Were you sent by the Gods to die for their amusement? Or have you come seeking death by the claws of Zeus's executioner? Speak, madman, entertain my solitude and drive away the sound of the wind filling my ears." The voice thundered once more. The boy was now almost at the Titan. Drawing courage, he took a deep breath and spoke.
"I brought water to moisten the mouth of the great healer. The one who drove away darkness from human dwellings." The boy said loudly but without much convincing confidence. The Titan laughed gutturally and lifted his large head, his face still hidden behind the blonde curls. He turned to the boy and said,
"Remove the locks from my eyes and let me see the one who seeks to quench my throat, dry as a desert. Who are you, madman?" The youth now stood before the Titan, on a tall stone that barely allowed him to match the Titan's height. The Titan breathed deeply. His massive chest made sounds like a bull resting in the pasture. The strong midday sun reflected off his golden hair, which reached his enormous shoulders. The boy reached out with his small hand to the Titan's face and brushed the obstructing curls aside from the great healer's eyes.
He met the gaze of large, tired eyes. Full of green, so much that the boy felt lost in a forest. Those eyes studied him distrustfully, searching for answers.
"Hm. You are human. Interesting, many mortals do not dare come here. They fear the wrath of the gods. So tell me, madman, what makes you so indifferent to the punishment that surely awaits you?"
The boy did not answer. He thought the Titan would not be satisfied with the reason that he could not bear to watch the suffering of other creatures, from the smallest bug to the enormous Titan. He needed a better reason to be here. And then it struck him: the Titan, during the time of darkness, was also a great teacher who taught people how to plow fields, build dwellings, and many other things. The boy straightened up and looked the Titan in the eyes. The Titan merely tilted his head slightly to the side.
"Well?"
"I seek a teacher. One who can give me more than the human ones. More than just knowledge for this age." A spark lit in the Titan's eyes. He was intrigued. Now the only thing left was not to reveal himself. The Titan calmed his growing excitement, which showed in his face. With a slightly muffled voice, less hostile now, he asked the boy again.
"Then why don't you go beg the goddess of wisdom herself, madman? She could help you satisfy your thirst for knowledge. We were aligned and shared our knowledge. From her hands, you would not also bring upon yourself the threat of the gods' wrath." The boy had an answer ready.
"After the gods sent us Pandora and her treacherous box, people no longer trust the gods as much. To be honest, I still believe in them, but they inspire fear in me."