THE NIGHT WAS shrouded with the looming terror of war. The skies howled, clouds thundered and the land glowed with the gold-tinted blood of the Divine. Selene, Goddess of the Moon, shifted the moon, revealing only a sliver of its crescent back. She could no longer bear to witness the tragedy unfolding below. She beckoned for her brother—and God of the Sun, Helios—but the once reliable beacon of warmth ignored her call. He was angry with his kin, for he believed her to be the cause behind the Great War that bled into the Age of Darkness, which exposed his limitations: that not even his boundless powers could feather light upon this world, so ravaged by strife.
Selene, in the recesses of her darkness, soothed herself with memories of a time long ago. A time of abundant joy and radiating peace. She found herself smiling at the thought of the centuries from when the Gods lived in harmony, adhering to their territories. Ever since the downfall of the Titans and the inception of the Three Olympic Kings, ruling had been a practice accompanied by pleasure. Zeus commanded the skies, Poseidon the seas, and Hades the Underworld. This allowed for amicable ruling, and together they had managed to rule through the Age of Gold, Age of Silver, Age of Bronze, and Age of Iron. But in the end, it would be a failed trial of power and envy that would unravel the hidden discords between the brothers and cause the Age of Darkness to finally fall upon the world.
The Olympian dynasty and all other Gods and Goddesses resided on Mount Olympus—a majestic mountain that floated high in the heavens, encircled by a ring of swirling golden clouds. It hovered over the sacred city of Socratone, with its charmed forests, glimmering palaces and lively festivals celebrating the self-loving Gods. It was home to the rarest of extraordinary creatures and richest minerals and gems. Gaia, Goddess of Earth, offered Socratone as her gift to the Gods who steered balance in the mortal world.
On the brink of one life-altering morning, as the Goddess of Dawn, Eos, receded into night, Selene gave birth to a child star. She knew not of whom the father was and in her disgrace, flung the child into space. The star-child descended onto Mt Olympus, to be raised under the care of the Olympians. She was named Aerosia, and she grew fast and fierce; loved by any and all who encountered her.
The three God Kings quickly claimed Aerosia as their daughter. Zeus titled her the Goddess of Spirit, for she gave him a sense of overwhelming purpose. Hades gifted her the title of Goddess of Joy, for as he managed the lives of the dead, she graced him with uplifting pride. And Poseidon coined her his Goddess of Companionship and Loyalty, for even on his crusades to the greatest depths of the unknown oceans, did she accompany him when no other dared to. But it was Zeus who believed that he, eldest of the brothers, boldest and most callous of the bunch, should be bestowed the sole right to inherit the magnificent child. His brothers, Poseidon and Hades, bluntly disagreed; and thusly, their sibling rift had been forged and slowly did they allow it to publically emerge. What started out as a small, insignificant spark grew into a massive ball of fire that burned with the fuel of rage. Until it no longer could it be denied.
On a day of celebration in honor of the King of Gods, his Queen, Hera, had sought out Aerosia for her hand in a special toast with which she'd intended to grace her husband. But when Aersosia had been summoned, she was nowhere to be found. Hera assumed the Goddess had been on an oceanic hunt with Poseidon and considered nothing more of her absence. That night, when the planet Jupiter pranced before the moon, with its rings shining like great swords, the festival for the great Zeus commenced in Socratone's Valley of Elder Gods. For hours, ambrosia flowed in foaming cascades, poured into the mouths of every God, stirring the island with debauchery. Flowers bloomed in large clusters around the meadow, bronze fireflies fluttered overhead and mystical creatures twirled about in performance with masterfully crafted masks.
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SONS OF GODS
FantasyA hunt to fulfill a promise to his ailing sister leads seventeen-year-old Cienzo Lansalov to uncover his true nature as a Son of Gods, and his right as heir to the Olympic territories: Sea, Land and Underworld.
