(Prologue: The Soldiers of Ares)
IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS CHAOS
A long time ago the entire world was under the rule of the just and powerful King Uranus. His rule was absolute and unchallenged. But Uranus was not arrogant in his power and treated even those who opposed him fairly. He was known as the Skyfather and was respected by all. But everything changed with the Skyfather’s untimely death and a new king was to be chosen. Gaia, the queen and wife of Uranus, chose their most powerful son, Cronus as the new emperor. But even though Cronus had inherited his father’s great power he had none of his kindness or wisdom. And soon the world plunged into chaos …
The people were unhappy with Cronus’s rule as he and his generals, known as the Titans ruled with an iron fist like dictators, and soon old allies of Uranus began to oppose the Titan rule. But none were strong enough to overthrow Cronus and his empire. The Titan king no longer feared any living being. But one day a great prophet told him that his end would come from his own blood. Cronus realized that the only creatures who could gain the power to overthrow him were his own children. So, against the pleas and cries of his wife Rhea, Cronus threw all of his children into a prison, a deep pit known as the ‘Titans’ belly’. But Rhea had grown tired of her husband’s madness for power. So when her youngest son was born she used her ancient magic to create a replica of her baby. Unaware of the switch Cronus threw the replica into ‘the belly’ thinking that his troubles were finally over. Rhea handed the baby over to his grandmother Gaia so that she could hide him from his father’s wrath, and told her to name the child: Zeus.
Gaia saw that Zeus would be the key to ending Cronus’s reign of terror and hid him and trained him so that he could one day defeat his father. Years later when Zeus was finally ready, he broke into the ‘Titan’s belly’ and freed his siblings and any who would join him in his war against his father. Then Zeus along with his two brothers Poseidon and Hades at his side, and an army of Cronus’s old enemies finally challenged the Titans to war. The greatest war in the history of the world followed and the Titans lost. This would forever be known as ‘The Titan War’. Zeus and his followers had won and the world entered a new age.
When the war had ended, the three brothers realized that one of their constant power would be needed to ensure that the Titans remained imprisoned forever. They realised the only way to decide this was to draw lots for the three regions that their father ruled. They were the sky, the sea and the underworld. Of these the underworld was a wasteland and it had been under this the great prison Tartarus was built to hold the Titans. Whoever got the underworld would have to rule over these wastelands and constantly use his power to bind the gates of Tartarus forever. When the lots were drawn it was Hades who got this misfortune. But still true to his word he accepted his duties as the lord of the underworld whereas Poseidon would have the sea and Zeus would have the sky. Zeus had become the new Skyfather.
As time passed Zeus’s rule became absolute. He formed a new empire and divided the world between his allies. They came to be known as ‘The Olympian Gods’. Along with Zeus as their head the twelve Olympians ruled the world. The Gods even fought among themselves for control over more power but as long as Zeus wasn’t opposed he didn’t care. So the present world stood with the twelve great kingdoms led by the Olympians, the seas ruled by Poseidon, and Hades in charge of the underworld with the Titans in deep slumber within Tartarus.
The era of the Gods moved forward, and technology and magic grew hand in hand. Humans, along with many other races such as centaurs and nymphs grew under the guidance of the Olympian Gods. The world has seen many wars and many heroes since then, and their tales have turned into legends. And now a new story begins.