Tales of Olympus

Series:The Time of Zeus

Book One:These Three Kings

Disclaimer:

This story is the first volume in the seriesThe Time of Zeus. While reading the previous works (specifically theIn the BeginningTrilogy) is not required to understand the story you are about to read, familiarity with the ongoing narrative may provide additional context that is helpful to the reader. Future installments will include brief content notices, but the foundational one will only be in the Book 1 of any of the Series.

To tack onto this, while these works have the 'explicit sexual encounters' mentioned below (as well as everything else), this is astoryfirst where sex can occur. As such, the narrative and characters come before any gratification you might be expecting, so if you came in hoping that those in this story have sex immediately, I do apologize, but this is not that kind of story.

This specific work contains depictions of explicit sexual encounters, incestuous relationships, graphic violence, manipulation, and magic. These elements are presented within a mythological framework and are integral to the world and characters portrayed. The prologue alone depicts incestuous impregnation between siblings, and later chapters include relationships between siblings, between aunt and nephew, and an interrupted threesome as well as infidelity. This is an advanced warning so readers may know what to expect and choose whether to continue or not.

All Olympian gods in this narrative are related because they spawn from a single source: Chaos (with a few notable exceptions). This is not an invention of the author, but a reflection of Greek mythological source material.

Warner Brothershas a disclaimer that reads:

"The cartoons you are about to see are products of their time. They may depict some of the ethnic and racial prejudices that were commonplace in American society. These depictions were wrong then and are wrong today. While these cartoons do not represent today's society, they are being presented as they were originally created, because to do otherwise would be the same as claiming these prejudices never existed."

So too as these myths products of their time, and for some, the incest is fantasy fuel (I am not here to judge), but I want to present these stories as honest as possible.

Hesiod, Apollodorus, Plato, and many other ancient writers depicted the gods in this manner, and to try and muddle these genealogies would be dishonest to the myths themselves. While some modern retellings attempt to shift divine lineages to soften these elements (which I entirely understand), doing so often merely displaces the incest rather than removes it (implying gods are cousins rather than brother and sister, for example).

The author has chosen that this work (the whole series in case you were wondering) chooses instead to acknowledge the mythology as it was told and build the narrative honestly from there.

Certain elements may be uncomfortable, and they are not presented as endorsements of modern values. However, to erase them though would be to pretend they never existed. These retellings seek to engage with these myths critically and thoughtfully, not to sanitize them.

While inspired by ancient sources such asTheogonyandThe Library, as well as modern interpretations includingGod of War,Percy Jackson,Lore Olympus,Hades 1&2,Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, and others (there's definitely more, but I can't recall which ones right now, and I will be thanking those creations as they come up), this work is a piece of original fiction.

Events, motivations, and relationships have been adapted (meaning altered here and there) to form a more unified mythological world; think Apologetics for most Pagan Mythologies. The intent is not strict retelling, but an attempt to rationalize many mythological traditions into a single coherent narrative while preserving the spirit of those stories to the best of my ability.

Throughout the work (and every work in the series), quotations from poems, songs, books, and mythological sources appear as epigraphs for transformative and illustrative purposes. No ownership over these excerpts is claimed (or intended to for that matter). Their inclusion is intended to highlight the timelessness of mythic themes and to draw connections between ancient and modern storytelling. Every effort has been made to comply with the principles of Fair Use, and the author expresses sincere gratitude to the original creators whose words help bridge the mythic and the modern.

Reader discretion is advised, and please be encouraged to rate honestly.

Thank you for reading, and welcome to the beginning ofThe Time of Zeus.

The Progenitor:

Chaos: The primeval void from which all things originated. The name refers to a realm of near infinite nothingness, as well as a being that embodied both sexes, and was the Creator of the Grecian Pantheon. They are the parent of the Primordials.

The Primordials:

Erebus: Primordial of darkness and shadow. He has become one with his realm. Child of Chaos. He is the father of the Moirai.

Gaia: Primordial of the Earth and mother of all life. She is called Mother Earth for this reason. Wife and mother of Ouranos. She mothered the Titans, the Hecatoncheires, the Cyclopes, Pontus, and more.

Nyx: Primordial of the Night and daughter of Chaos. In the absence of anyone in the Underworld, she ruled the realm. Mother of various deities including Hypnos (Sleep) and Thanatos (Death).

Ouranos (Uranus): Primordial of the Sky. Conceived by Gaia and the magic of Chaos, making him the Last Primordial. Husband to Gaia. Father of the Titans, the Hecatoncheires, the Cyclopes, and Aether.

Pontus: Supposed Primordial of the Sea. Son of Gaia, potentially born from her tears over Ouranos' death.

Tartarus: Primordial of the abyss that serves as a prison for the Titans. His form was that of an older man with a bald head, long wispy beard and hair from the back of his head.

Titans:

Atlas: Titan who was the General underneath the Mad King Cronos. Son of Iapetus and Clymene. Brother to Prometheus, Epimetheus, and Menoetius.

Cronos (Kronos/Cronus): The once-Titan ruler of the universe until overthrown by his son Zeus. Son of Gaia and Ouranos. Father of Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter, and Hestia.

Epimetheus: Titan of afterthought and hindsight. Brother of Prometheus as well as co-creator of many animals within the land of Greece. Son of Iapetus and Clymene. Brother of Atlas, Prometheus, and Menoetius.

Metis: Titaness of Wisdom. She served as the War Counselor to Zeus during the Titanomachy/The Great Titan War. Daughter of Oceanus and Tethys; as such, is one of 3000 Oceanids. Lover of Zeus.

Oceanus: Titan of the Ocean and current ruler of the seas. Son of Ouranus and Gaia. Husband of Tethys. Father of the Oceanids and Potamoi (river gods).

Prometheus: Titan of intelligence and forethought: Son of Iapetus and Clymene. Brother of Atlas, Epimetheus, and Menoetius. Co-creator of many animals within the land of Greece.

Rhea: Titaness of Marriage and Betrayal. Daughter of Ouranos and Gaia. Wife of Cronos. Mother of Aether, Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter, and Hestia.

Gods:

Bia: Winged goddess of force. Daughter of Pallas and Styx. Sister of Niké, Cratus, and Zelus.

Cratus (Kratos): God of strength. Son of Pallas and Styx. Brother of Niké, Bia, and Zelus.

Hades: Eldest son of Cronos and Rhea. Wielder of a Bident, Hooks of Hades (Ádis Kroustália), and the Helm of Invisibility. Brother of Zeus and Poseidon. Brother and lover to Hera.

Hecatè: Young daughter of Perses and Asteria.

Hera: Youngest daughter of Cronos and Rhea. Mistress of Magic on Olympus. Wielder of a great bow. Lover and sister to Hades. Sister to Demeter and Hestia.

Niké: Winged goddess of victory. Daughter Pallas and Styx. Sister of Bia, Cratus, and Zelus.

Poseidon: Middle son of Cronos and Rhea. Wielder of a sea sword and the Trident. Loves the sea. Brother of Zeus and Hades. Creator of the sea monster, Cetus.

Zelus: Winged god of zeal. Son of Pallas and Styx. Brother of Niké, Bia, and Cratus.

Zeus: Youngest son of Cronos and Rhea. Wielder of the Lightning Bolt and the Golden Fist (Chrysópigi Zefs). Brother of Poseidon and Hades, husband of Hera.

Others:

Atropos: The Cutter of the Threads of Fate. She appears like a young grandmother with gray hair at the temple of her head. She is not old and wrinkled but reasonably aged. She is always looking at the future and the possibilities. She believes people can change but destiny is set in stone and as such, she is the most firm of the Sisters. Sister of Clothos and Lachesis. She is responsible for cutting the thread of life when a person's time has come to an end.

Cetus: Sea monster created by Poseidon from both his flesh and magic from his Trident during the Great War. Assisted Poseidon in defeating Atlas.

Clothos: The Spinner of the Threads of Fate. She is the youngest looking of the Sisters, appearing to be in her early twenties, and is preoccupied with looking at the past. As such, she can be erratic in nature. As a Moirai, she is the sister of Lachesis and Atropos. They are responsible for weaving the threads of life.

Cyclopes: Brontes, Steropes, Arges. The Cyclopes are one-eyed giants known for their craftsmanship. They are the children of Gaia and Ouranos and embody various aspects of natural forces. They helped craft the Immortal Arms used by the gods during the Great Titan War. As such, they were rewarded with an island to rest on

Hecatoncheires: Cottus, Briareos, Gyges. The Hecatoncheires are monstrous giants with a hundred arms and fifty heads. They are the children of Gaia and Ouranos and represent chaotic and destructive forces. They also contributed in creating the Immortal Arms wielded by the gods during the Great Titan War. However, they asked to be left in peace and went to the northern mountains of Greece.

Lachesis: The Measurer of the Threads of Fate. She appears to be a late 20s/early 30-year-old woman. She is in love with the idea of eternity and this 'golden thread' that Chaos saw. However, she is fixated on the Present. She is the most reasonable out of the three. Sister of Clothos and Atropos. She is responsible for determining the length of each person's life.

Prologue: Birth of Monsters

"There are decades when nothing happens; and there are weeks when decades happen."

-- Attributed to Vladimir Ilyich Lenin (1870-1924). Also, a Russian proverb. Though frequently cited in political discourse, no definitive source exists in Lenin's published works; commonly associated with writings and speeches circa 1917 during the Russian Revolution. Public domain.

Before there was Time, before there was the Earth, before there was a sun, there was only Chaos, and they created divine children; each would be a unique embodiment of what the Progenitor conceived to be fundamental aspects of existence.

First came Erebus, who was a shadowy figure that emerged from the deepest recesses of Chaos, so this Primordial personified everlasting tenebrosity. Lightlessness would be how this new Realm would find its origins, so its first countenance would need to be the black reflection of Chaos through Erebus.

Next emerged Gaia, a magnificent and vast entity, the Earth herself. From her, the fertile soil would grow the trees, the mountains and caves would have their stone to mine. Rivers would course through the land, greenery would grow, and life would be abundant, but this would all come from the fecundity of this child of the creator.

Tartarus followed as the embodiment of the abyss that was part of the infinite chasm of Chaos. His personification was that of an old withering man. His flesh was gray and decaying, yet still there was an eminent quality to this creature.

Eros soon appeared as a dazzlingly luminous and the first winged being. His near nudity reflected the fact that he embodied love and desire. No accessory in sight, yet he seemed unfinished to the eye of his maker. Nevertheless, it was he who could make the connections more powerful than that of violence. Of forgiveness, rage, war, wisdom, logic, and power, it was love which had the power to overcome them all; only one quality in existence might yet be greater than this offspring to Chaos.

Finally, Nyx stepped forth from the vastness of the Progenitor. She was the very personification of Night. In the years to come, a riddle would come about a chicken and an egg, but it was Night that cameLONGbefore the day. She was pale with the blackest hair and a more mundane body than all of her siblings, but of captivating loveliness, there would be few to compare. This was why poets would discuss the beauty and mystique of the nocturnal world.

Chaos observed their divine progeny calculatingly. They marveled at the diversity and wonder of these creations, but never did they stop equating a value and considering thoughts of usefulness to them. Each child represented a primal and essential aspect needed for this chronal singularity of Existence.

---

Moments would pass, but without an essence of chronal measurement, the Progenitor could not know how long had passed since the moment of their making, and the interruption that was to come.

The realm of Chaos was where starlight and platforms intertwined to form a celestial tapestry of infinite wonder for the Progenitor to exist. This place was both an extension of the Progenitor and separate from them. Smaller, finite beings would struggle to comprehend that detail because these qualities were not easily communicated nor were they common to experience; nevertheless, for the Progenitor, this sort of existence was their truth.

Tartarus appeared before the Progenitor. Despite the intrusion, the boundless expanse stretched out around the two beings. The recognition of parent and son was not said, but the very fabric of existence seemed to twinkle appreciation of the moment. Woven from raw illumination and the ethereal bridges of possibility, the Realm was glad for the two to be together.

For the Primordial deity, the vast expanse of Chaos' Realm was almost overwhelming to his senses. He had gone onto the plane of Greece. His portion of existence would become its own Realm in time. A place where death would rule and beings could go forevermore.

However, to be separated from the Progenitor only to return once more created a sense of vertigo within him. The effects were immediate yet staggering. He focused himself, for he wanted to express himself to his sire as near an equal as possible.

Tartarus stared upon his creator with reverence. In this lucent and ever-shifting realm, Tartarus recognized the chasm that separated a Primordial from the Progenitor.

"Chaos," Tartarus said deferentially. "With the Primordials born and the gift of the Realm of Greece as our domain, what shall become of us?"

No answer came to his question. Tartarus could not know why this was, but the Progenitor knew this was not the true inquiry that brought the Abyss itself to their Realm.

"What of existence? Here, your chaos reigns, but our home is one of order. Who shall have dominion?"

Chaos regarded Tartarus with a profound, knowing gaze. This was the question their offspring had come to ask, and so this matter was worthy of their attention. Chaos' voice echoed with the starlit expanse of their Realm. To speak was a powerful gift, and their resonance transcended mere sound as a reflection of ancient wisdom of worlds lost.

"Tartarus," Chaos intoned, "you shall rule over the realm you created."

Tartarus bristled with excitement but then... deflated.

"Does this answer displease you?" Chaos inquired.

He had come in the hopes that he might rule the Realm of Greece, then surely he would be worthy of his greatest desire: Gaia.

To answer his creator when his request so incredibly small felt beneath him. Silence was all he returned to his Progenitor.

When Tartarus just stared at the Progenitor, Chaos gave a look that Tartarus believed was annoyance. With the Progenitor, it was difficult to tell; after all, they were this permanent fixture that was ever-changing. Further, Chaos was a solitary being, so guests were mildly discouraged.

With these factors in mind, Tartarus struggled to voice that which he desired.

"You are entwined with the very threads of existence," Chaos mused with the depth of eons. "There are plans in motion for you, Child of Mine."

"What shall I do?" Tartarus wondered.

"What would you want?" Chaos queried.

"I want..." Tartarus struggled.

His pride prevented him from being forthright with his heart's longing, yet still, the wordsdidcome because they were within him, and they needed to be released.

"I wish to be united with Gaia," he said unceremoniously.

Chaos did not laugh nor frown so far as Tartarus understood the matter. Rather, this near-infinite, cosmically powerful entity considered their child's request.

"Your purpose is to shape the world that is to come," Chaos said. "You are not to focus on one matter more than another, especially your sister's affection."

The words reverberated through the very essence of Tartarus.

The Primordial felt a surge of elation unlike any he had ever known right before he felt crestfallen. The prospect of ruling over a realm filled him with joy, but this was not how he wished for reality to be.

The longing to marry Gaia, the Earth herself, and rule as equals came before even rulership. However, Chaos did not seem to budge.

Tartarus was about to bring up his request once more, hoping that Chaos would reconsider.

"If your sister is lonely, and this isolation distracts either of you," Chaos said slowly, "then I shall make her a counterpart to be her equal, and your superior, Tartarus."

"What?" Tartarus asked, heart breaking.

"The Earth shall couple with the Sky," Chaos mused. "That will suit my Realm."

Tartarus had so much to say, to rail, and complain, but rather, he blinked and suddenly, he was returned to the Underworld where his power was creating a kingdom of the dead.

---

As this was before the birth of Cronos, no being could entirely be sure whether it was a week or a year. The sun had not been made. The idea of measuring the temporal passing had not been conceived, so there was no chronological order to things. Perhaps they moved forward, but with Chaos' design, it was altogether possible that they could end up in yesterday.

From the intricate fabric of starlight and celestial platforms, Chaos emerged to stand before Gaia. Gaia was Mother Earth herself. She would bless the Realm of Greece with the gift of fertility.

Chaos considered the Realm that they had helped make. New beings would come. Seeing this, Chaos touched Gaia to give a great gift. The Great Progenitor endowed the Primordial with something new.

Before the other Primordials, the Last Primordial was conceived and born. From the power of Chaos and the body of Gaia came Ouranos, the powerful Sky Father.

Erebus and Tartarus looked upon one another. Erebus was unsure what this new creature's existence would mean, but Tartarus knew in inflamed jealousy what this birth would mean. Gaia wouldneverbe his.

Tartarus watched with a mixture of curiosity and angered expectation as the newest member of their divine family took form. Tartarus had long believed that he, as one of the primordials created by Chaos, should rightfully ascend to a position of dominion and authority over the cosmos. His heart swelled with ambition to be with Gaia, the Earth, as her equal and consort.