It had been some time since Zera had walked the mortal realm without thunder in her wake. The heavens above lay quiet, the storm held at bay — by her will alone. She had taken on a simpler shape, her divinity veiled: a woman with white hair like moonlight and eyes the color of the deep sky before rain.

The lake shimmered in the dying light of sunset, wind stirring the water in lazy ripples. She stood at its edge, barefoot, tracing circles in the surface with her finger. She knew he would come here — he always did when the world grew too heavy. Mortals were creatures of habit, and she had learned his long ago.

A soft smile curved her lips as she watched the reflection of the clouds overhead.

“You keep seeking peace in the same place,” she said when she heard footsteps behind her. She spoke as if she knew him and she did in some way. She had been watching him from Mount Olympus, fascinated by the mortal, and now she had come down to interact with him. "And I can see why. This place holds a special beauty."