Ascension of the Fallen

The Alded

AN: Go check out "Crown of Slaughter", prequel to Ascension of the Fallen, this story, it's up on my profile.

20 cookie points to anyone who spots the massive references in this chapter.

The Alded

Ascension of the Fallen: Chapter 23

"Uh...hi?"

"Mars." Juno intoned coolly, her face and expression unreadable. The god of war scanned the Olympians warily. Did they know? Were they here to kill him for his crimes? It was eerily awkward having the entire council of Olympus simply stare at him like mummies; it was unnerving.

But he didn't care. He was Mars, the god of war, and he looked right back at them. The tense silence in the next few moments was deafening, and

Quickly, Mars slipped into his mask, calming his features and projecting the face of a calm general who was in control. Although he was the god of war, his domains required employing tactics and strategy, and he was no stranger to the intricacies of politics that had played out in Ancient Rome.

"Hello Mother, what brings you to New Rome? I hope you are enjoying your stay. Have you seen Apollo for anger management yet? You look quite red in the face."

The god internally smirked, holding in a chuckle as a vein seemed to pop out on the goddess of marriage's forehead at the question.

Juno was about to snap back when Jupiter held up a hand.

"Relax, dear."

He turned towards Mars, casting a stern eye towards him, but the god of war was undeterred. Perhaps when he was a mere godling, or even before Deus came back would he have been intimidated.

Now though? Not so much. His father's attempts at intimidation had nothing on his brother. Deus terrified him, so much so that he had grown resilient to all types of glares, excluding Deus's. That, he could never get used to.

"Mars, you stand accused of heinous crimes against Olympus. Conspiring and plotting against Olympus with an exiled minor god, among other things. How do you plead?"

The god of war let out a dark chuckle devoid of any real humor.

"Heinous crimes? Conspiring against Olympus, or your throne of lies and deceit? Deus himself? A minor god? Please father, be reasonable. You of all gods understand Zeus. His words are coming out of your mouth."

Mars began strolling on the Field at ease, his hands behind his back.

"My loyalty to Olympus remains steadfast. Not your throne. Olympus. I am simply reinstating the rightful king of Olympus. One who we all thrived under, even you, father."

He spread his arms, even as the stormy skies darkened and rumbled, "Deus is coming. And there is nothing you can do to stop it. He is... inevitable."

Mars crushed the black ball in his right hand, darkness exploding outwards and surrounding him.

The gods of Olympus had to shield their eyes from the black plumes. When they opened them, the god of war was gone.

---

"Atlas, can you stop fucking smoking???"

Perseus snapped his fingers loudly to clear the air in the room again for the fourth time in the hour.

The titan waved his hand lazily, completely disregarding the fuming god in front of him. "No. And for the record, it's not smoking anymore. You told me to stop that, so I did," he smirked at Perseus, "This is something else. It's called vaping." The infuriating titan grinned right in his face, blowing random fumes of air in the room.