Epilogue: Seeds of a New Reign

“So many adventures couldn’t happen today

So many songs we forgot to play

So many dreams swinging out of the blue

We’ll let ‘em come true

Forever young

I want to be forever young

Do you really want to live forever?

Forever, and ever”

-- Alphaville, Forever Young, from the album Forever Young (1984), written by Marian Gold, Bernhard Lloyd, and Frank Mertens. Copyright © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.

The morning sun bathing Mount Olympus in golden light was a new sensation for the gods. They had spent a decade going to war for this sacred mountain, and on this day, they knew that no Titan would take it from them.

Within this light, in one of the chambers of what was once known as Cronos’ palace, his sons gathered. Zeus, Hades, and Poseidon had showered and cleaned after the war and celebration.

Zeus had no weapon at his side, which was a strange occurrence for him. After having his fist, the Aegis, or his thunderbolt in hand for the last decade, to have nothing was almost the same as being naked.

Zeus looked at his brothers. “Are you sure about this?”

Hades nodded in agreement. “You and I did discuss using straws before.”

Poseidon sniffed in annoyance. “Not that you invited me to that discussion.”

“You were too busy being in love with your sea monster,” Zeus said irreverently.

“His name is Cetus!”

“You prove his point,” Hades remarked offhandedly. He almost laughed at his younger brother’s adolescent anger at their youngest brother and love of a fish...

“Very well,” Poseidon conceded. “Straws. Who will hold them? I think we all want Father’s throne, so we can’t trust that any of us won’t try to trick the others.”

“I will,” Rhea said, coming into her son’s private meeting room. Behind her was Gaia.

“Wait! Given you saved Zeus, doesn’t that mean you will favor him?” Poseidon asked.

Rhea let out a single laugh.

“I suppose you could see it that way. But I don’t. Zeus was lucky. I could not have saved Hades or you, Poseidon. I named you and Cronos stole you away. It was Cronos growing inattentive that let me save Zeus. If Gaia held the straws, maybe, but me ... I adore all of my sons. I am so proud of each of you.”

“Does that suffice?” Zeus asked.

Both Poseidon and Hades nodded.

“That will have to wait until tomorrow,” Gaia said. “We need to discuss what to do with my wayward children. I am glad you did not kill Cronos and his siblings in the final battle, but they cannot roam the land.”

“As to that,” Nyx said, appearing from the shadows themselves. “I believe sending them to Tartarus where they left the Cyclopes and Hecatoncheires to suffer might be the best decision.”

“Will you be looking after them?” Gaia wondered.

“No ... One of them will,” Nyx said, motioning to sons of Rhea. “If Mount Olympus and the seas need a ruler, so too will the Underworld.”