The Time of Zeus Book 5: the Coup
Copyright© 2025 by Carlos Santiago
Chapter 21: Punishment
“P is for priceless, the look upon your faces
E is for extinction, all your puny races
R for Revolution, which will be televised
F is for how fucked you are, now allow me to reprise
E is for eccentric, just listen to my Song
C is for completion, that I’ve waited for so long
T is for the terror, upon you I’ll bestow.”
— Perfect Cell (as portrayed and vocally performed by Curtis “Takahata101” Arnott), Perfect Cell Song. Written and produced by TeamFourStar. Directed by Scott “KaiserNeko” Frerichs. First featured in DragonBall Z Abridged: Episode 51, originally uploaded to YouTube on December 27, 2015. © 2015 TeamFourStar. All rights reserved.
The palace was free of noise. The storm had come and gone. His throne was safe. He would rule forever. He knew that fact in his heart the same way he knew his mother loved him, Gaia and Ouranos made Olympus, and that the ground beneath him was solid.
It was a tangibility that others simply could not understand, but he did because he felt that certitude in his flesh, ichor, and bones. That was how he bested Poseidon, Apollo, and Hera in one day. This was his right given to him by Rhea, Gaia, and even Chaos. No one and nothing could battle this.
Then again...
“Each King of Olympus shall be deposed by their most worthy son for three generations. That is the Curse of Ouranos.”
That was what the Fates had once told. His son would remove him.
His hands curled into fists, the whites of his knuckles taut.
The siphoning bolts had drained more than the power from Poseidon and Apollo ... The draining effect showed them both how powerless they were when compared to him.
But just because Apollo had failed did not mean they all would. He recalled them saying if he was deposed by a son, it would be Hera’s son that would sit the throne.
Hera could not have a child outside of her marriage with him. Gaia’s golden apples had seen to that. The best she could hope for was another sad, broken thing like Hephaestus.
As he thought about it, did that mean one like Ares would defeat him, and then Hephaestus would rule?
The Fates had a sick sense of humor if they believed that would work for Olympus.
But that was if ... If did not mean when.
Hera would remain tied to the stake for the moment where she could not birth any babies that might depose him or claim his throne. Stewing in her humiliation was all that was left for her at the moment. Her little rebellion had failed. Maybe if she had the Fates on her side, she would have won.
He let out a single laugh at that.
Was this the only chance they had to remove him from power? A campaign that both withered and was crushed under its own weight? This was the best that destiny could bring to challenge Zeus.
He almost wished that challenge had been more difficult.
Almost.
Zeus did not want to lose his throne, so a reality where it happened was not allowed.
Even as he thought on the subject, he considered Poseidon and Apollo. He would need to punish them accordingly while also bringing the other gods in line. It was time for him to consolidate power.
For Poseidon, banishment seemed the best option but only after making him kneel before Zeus, recognizing Zeus as supreme sovereign ... even over the seas.After which, a lingering exile would temper Poseidon’s pride and make him be grateful to Zeus for not killing him.
Apollo’s punishment would need to be harsher. The siblings needed to know that even trying to step out of line would lead to their downfall, even if oaths were used. The golden god needed to be broken low and shown the price for hungry ambition. Sadly for Leto, her son would need to be made an example of.
Zeus slowed his pacing.
Ouranos had fallen to his most cunning son, Cronos. Cronos had fallen to his most worthy son, himself. The cycle was no accident. It was the marrow of the cosmos: fathers replaced by sons.
One generation was replaced by the last.
He would not be the next.
No. He would choke the prophecy before it matured.
He could bind them all. He would need to ensure Hera was incapable of carrying some other god’s spawn, so there could be no heir for this prophecy to take root. He could either kill her or have her move her tree... after she gave her magical oath of loyalty to him.
Zeus would not allow for another chance for betrayal. The only exception should be Athena. She was right. The others had trusted her because no oath was on her, and they knew she was closer to Zeus than most, but what the others did not understand was that her loyalty to him was second to none.
That comforting knowledge is what allowed Zeus to see his daughter’s logic.
He could feel a shift coming with Prometheus’ mortals. Zeus could not be sure what it was; however, he would not enter another part of his life with so much uncertainty.
If Hera fell in line, and with Athena by his side, no one could ever remove him from power.
The currents that day did not flow as they should. The king of the underwater city was being held prisoner on Olympus.
Amphitrite sat upon her throne of conch and coral, reading the report from Olympus. The words of the message were as thus: Poseidon has raised hand and will against Olympus. He has stood with Apollo in the coup against Zeus.
Had she done this by comparing Poseidon to Zeus? She never would have done so if she had known what the consequences would be.
She did not know exactly what Poseidon had done, but she knew if she left events to stand as they were, Poseidon might be killed by Zeus or worse, humiliated beyond recognition.
Amphitrite stepped forward, summoning her chariot with a single gesture. Out of the depths rose a pair of hippocamps.
She would make her way to Olympus and save her husband.
He stared up at Hera in her stake.
Prometheus could not just go up there and get her. To act against Zeus or for Hera might be seen as an act of treason. After the activity of a few gods, Prometheus knew he had to be above reproach.
Nevertheless, he wanted to help Hera. She deserved his loyalty. Hera had been more of a ruler than Zeus had been for some time. In this moment, Prometheus could do nothing.
He wondered whether his vision of the future was one that had been a mistake or if it might still come to pass.
Or maybe he was interpreting it all wrong. He could not be sure one way or another.
If it was up for interpretation, Hera had bared her body in the vision, and she was bearing it at the moment. Was this how he was meant to understand the small clips of the future?
Maybe they were not the future at all. He could not know. Going to Chaos did not seem to be a course he could take at the moment. If the son of Iapetus left Olympus for any reason, Zeus might see it as an act of sedition.
Furthermore, if Prometheus left, there was a chance the king might act more erratic and destroy what was left of the godly city.
What was it he told Athena...?
In the end, Prometheus would have to hold to not knowing that the future would be coming to him as he saw it...
He had to believe without knowing...
He had to have faith.
The great bronze doors of Zeus’ hall groaned open to allow Leto into the space.
Her black silks whispered over the marble as they had so very long ago. Her golden eyes were bloodshot from crying. She threw herself at the base of Zeus’ throne.
“Leto,” he said at last.
She bowed her head, hands clasped before her to hide their trembling.
“He is our son, Zeus,” she said through her weeping. “Whatever you actions you think he may have taken, I beg you to show mercy.”
The faintest smile curved his lips. It was cold, judgmental, and scathing.
“Mercy?” he repeated, as if tasting the word. “After what he did? No...”
“He is young! Were you all that different when you were young?” Leto asked, voice cracking. “This was a flaw in judgment from youth ... His heart and mind are yours.”
“I returned your parents,” he said. “This could have been a day of celebration, but your son crossed me.”
“Is he only my son when he fails and our son when he succeeds?” Leto asked.
Zeus shook his head. No longer was his attention fully on her.
“Had your son been loyal,” Zeus continued, “this day might have been glorious. Instead, I must punish him.”
“He is still your son!”
“And that,” Zeus said, his voice dropping to something almost like a growl, “is why he will live to learn from this mistake.”
“Have you already decided on the punishment?” Leto wondered.
The tears would not stop coming. How quickly strength had become weakness when it came to the structure of Olympus.
“I have. He will not be killed or thrown into Tartarus,” Zeus remarked.
He stood up and picked up his once-lover. It would be the easiest thing for him to take her to bed to give her another baby to take the mind off of Apollo, but that was not the course for now. He needed to protect himself at all costs.
No more godly children could be had, but there could be options for the future. For the moment, he needed to preserve his throne on Olympus.
“Our son will just see how hard the world can truly be.”
Prometheus looked from the queen and turned.
A small crowd had gathered to look at her. Some had even brought baskets as offerings to her suffering.
Whatever the future brought, he found it heartening that the public was defending Hera.
Zeus was a powerful being, beloved by most. However, the king seemed to be under the delusion that he was loved for his compassion, administrative touch, and ability to rule.
No.
Zeus was beloved because he was overwhelmingly formidable. He was the might that kept Olympus safe, but Hera was the one who knew every god, goddess, nymph, and titan (both Greater and lesser). It was the queen, not the king, who understood the needs of her people. This endeared her to them.
That she suffered the shame of Zeus’ infidelity was seen as a mark of sacrifice she made. Most knew their marriage was not a love match. Zeus had been enamored by Metis, and while not every god knew it, most believed that Hera loved Hades.
That time was gone from both of them.
They needed to go from their adolescence into adulthood. The time of growing up was over for those two. Zeus and Hera were quickly becoming the beings that they would be for most of their lives.
To read the complete story you need to be logged in:
Log In or
Register for a Free account
(Why register?)
* Allows you 3 stories to read in 24 hours.