#phobos devotee

[mars-and-the-theoi]

Low energy Devotional Acts for when you don’t have a lot of energy (or time, or money, etc.) pt. 5

🗡️Phobos & Deimos🗡️

- watch a horror movie

- watch war movies

- watch documentaries or do a Wikipedia deep dive on various wars and battles

- look up the difference between terror and horror

- watch Halloween movies (doesn’t necessarily have to be scary) or Halloween episodes of tv shows

- look up types of self defense

- learn about the role of charioteers (they do drive their father’s chariot after all!)

- listen to a devotional playlist for Them

- watch combat sports (boxing, wrestling, etc.)

- listen to horror movie soundtracks

- listen to Halloween or ‘scary’ soundscapes

🐚Aphrodite🐚

- light your favorite candle, put on your favorite lotion or perfume, put on your favorite piece of jewelry, your favorite article of clothing something small that just boosts your spirits!

- enjoy a sweet treat

- watch a romcom

- watch a regular romantic movie or show or read (or listen to audiobooks are very much valid) your favorite romantic story

- if you’re in a relationship maybe text/call or talk to your partner(s) for a bit maybe even make some plans to do something together for when the opportunity arises

- if you’re not in a relationship maybe text/call or talk to a good friend (online or irl friend!) or a close family member that you have a good relationship with! Maybe even make some plans with them!

- if you’re maybe a bit more introverted or don’t have anyone irl that you’re super close with, that’s okay! Make a plan for yourself! Maybe there’s a restaurant you’ve been curious about, or maybe a new park opened up near you, etc. it can be anything. Treat yourself to something you enjoy!

- if you have a pet and they like to snuggle, snuggle or lay with them. Talk to them and tell them how much you love them. If able take them for a walk or a ride.

- listen to ocean/sea soundscapes

- read up on all the many kinds of love

- engage in an act of self-care for me it’s enjoying a cup of my favorite tea but it can be whatever is most meaningful and/or viable for you

- listen to love songs

- listen to a devotional playlist for Her

- make a Pinterest board of all your favorite things and things that you love! Your favorite band, favorite flowers, etc. doesn’t matter what it is

- learn about the different kinds of love

- do things that boost your self esteem (even if only temporarily, I know how tricky this can be)

- be gentle with yourself! Slow down, take it easy, etc.

- watch a ballet

- read love poems (or try to write your own no matter how cheesy it may be! It’s always fun to try)

[khaos-twins]

digital offering for my boys 🫶

[0thereitas0]

Here’s an art piece I made for Lord Ares :)

I’m very proud of this, first time I really made a portrait using paint . I hope he likes it

[mysteryshack324]

Happy Father's Day to Ares 🐗🐍⚔️🛡️🖤for being a badass father to your demigod and godly kids ⚔️

Such an underrated dad, he would literally kill for his kiddos

Thank you so much for treating me so kindly as a devotee

[poorbrokemess]

Alters and the necklace I made

[enyalios-shrine]

𝘼𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙒𝙤𝙧𝙨𝙝𝙞𝙥 101

Hi! I’m Raven (or Ray), and I’ve been an Ares devotee for almost five years now. You want to start worshiping him? Great! Despite what today’s media makes of him - which I will talk about a lot in this post - , he’s actually a very caring, gentle and (dare I say) beginner-friendly deity! In general, a great choice! (Also, this is inspired by another post I saw but forgot to save - so, credits for the idea goes to that person) So, let's get started.

WHO IS ARES? - MODERN MISCONCEPTIONS

Since I’m assuming you already know the broad strokes of who he is (Greek god of war, bloodshed, violent and so forth), this section will be about some of the misconceptions most people have of Him. If you’ve ever consumed any Greek mythology-related media, I’m sure you’ve seen the following caricature: beefy, misogynistic, violent, stupid jerk, rude and always looking for a fight. While, yes, He IS violent (He's the god of war, afterall), that's far from all He has to offer.

Did you know Ares is actually historically a major feminist? That’s probably the first thing to get demystified about Him when you talk to an Ares devotee or worshiper, so I’m not really saying ground-breaking news here, but since a fair amount of people don’t know about it, I thought it was a fair mention. So, let’s get into the actual myths and proofs for this claim:

Ares was the father of and supported the Amazons in battle, a group of female-only warriors and hunters.

He’s one of the only male deities in Greek mythology to not have sexually harassed or raped someone. Yes, even other deities viewed as “nice” such as Apollo and Hermes have done so (I don’t mean any disrespect for those deities here - I’m also an Apollo devotee).

Ares was held in trial for the murder of Halirrhotius, a son of Poseidon, after he raped one of Ares’ daughters, Alkippe. He was acquited of murder by the gods. Remember, back in ancient Greece, women didn’t have ANY rights - raping one was not considered a crime or even frowned upon as far as I'm aware.

One of His epithets is “Ares Gynaikothoina", which means "feasted by women". During a war between the Tegeans and the Spartans, the women of Tegea defended the city from a invasion led by the Spartan king Charilaus. After arming themselves, they defeated the Spartans following an ambush. Among the prisoners was the Spartan king himself. In commemoration, they would hold a feast in honor of Ares, to which only women were invited.

All in all, Ares is protective, just, and encouraging of His children as well as worshipers and devotees. He’s not the piece of shit jock most people think of when you mention His name. Please stop doing my man this dishonor, He deserves so much better.

BASIC INFO

His Roman counterpart is Mars. He’s the son of Zeus and Hera, and his consourt is Aphrodite (even though they’re not officially married). His divine children are Phobos and Deimos (twin daimones/personified spirits of panic and terror, respectively), Harmonia (goddess of harmony and concord), Antero (erote/god of requited love) and Eros (erote/god of carnal love), all which he had with Aphrodite, as well as Drakon of Thebes (a giant serpent), which he apparently had by himself.

As for hero children; Cycnus (a bloody-thirsty men who was murdered by Herakles), Diomedes of Thrace (who had man-eating horses for some reason), Thrax (who founded Thrace), Oenomaus (Greek king of Pisa), and the Amazons (female warriors and hunters as mentioned above).

His symbols and associations are: spears, swords, helmets, armour, dogs, chariots, shields, The Chariot & The Emperor tarot cards, etc.

FESTIVALS AND DAYS

Tuesdays are holy to Ares and are ruled by the planet Mars (again, his Roman counterpart), which means they’re associated with action, energy, strength, and courage, as well as the color red.

As for festivals, He was typically honored with special rites in times of war or just before battles. There were also two annual festivals: one in the town of Geronthrae in ancient Laconia, celebrated only by men, and one in Tagea in Arcadia, celebrated only by women, where His "feasted by women" epithet came from. There's hardly any info on exact dates (from the Attic calendar or not) or info about any other festivals.

SACRED ANIMALS

Serpents

Dogs

Vultures

Woodpecker

Barn owls

Eagle owls

SACRED PLANTS

There’s no plant, flower or tree traditionally associated with Ares, unfortunately, so I’m gonna give a list of my UPG’s. Now, I’m not a witch, so I don’t know about the magical properties of the plants I’m about to list (if you’re a witch and were looking for something like that, my bad). However, I am a florist and have a special interest in floriography, so I assign them to Him based on vibe, meaning, etc.

Amaryllis (Means “Pride”)

Basil (Means “Hate”)

Water hemlock (Means “Death”)

Snapdragon (Means “Presumption”, but I think he just likes the way it looks)

Poppy (Means “Eternal sleep”, but has a long history with wars, being the first kind of flora to start growing in abandoned battlefields that were previously considered infertile)

Nettle (Means “Cruelty”)

Magnolia (Means “Dignity”)

Yarrow (Means “Cure for a broken heart”, and is said to have been used by Achilles to heal his men on the battlefield, which is why the scientific name is “Achillea”)

Ginger (Associated with “Heat”)

Pepper, spices, etc (idk he just gives the vibes)

OFFERINGS & DEVOTIONAL ACTS

Honestly, the only slander Ares should be getting is that He likes edgy teenage boy things. That being said, here's some ideas/suggestions, first for devotional acts and then offerings:

Workout or do any kind of physical activity

Take care of your mental and physical health

Stand up for yourseld and what you believe in

Learn about past wars, battles, and riots

Do things that make you feel badass/brave/empowered

Go to a protest

Work on managing your anger (especially for my fellow BPD havers)

Pet a dog

Honor His children and Aphrodite

For offerings; any kind of meat, especially red

Anything sharp (cool knives or daggers, broken glass, etc)

Bones!!

Halloween decor (I personally have those fake plastic snakes, spiders, and a skull on His altar)

Black coffee, the stronger the better

Any alcohol, but especially whiskey

Anything spicy

WHY WORSHIP ARES? - A PERSONAL RANT

Living in an extremely physically abusive household, I had to know and be acostumed to violence from a very young age. That violence left with many things - BPD and C-PTSD, to name a few - but mostly importantly, it left me only being able to feel one thing: anger.

I was angry at everything. Angry at the world for allowing me to have to live through such a horrible situation, angry at my mom for not standing up for me, angry at my abuser, even angry at myself for not ever trying to fight back or protect myself (though now I realize that was completely out of the question. I was only 8, what could I have done against a man in his 30's that was three times my size?).

That anger didn't go away after I got away from my abuser. If anything, it grew worse. I'd yell, break everything around me, say horrible things to the people I loved - I was a totally different person. I could barely recognize myself. I was an empty shell, filled with absolutely nothing else than the purest form of resentment and wrath, things that had been brewing inside of me since I was a child. I never had the choice to become anything else.

Ares understands violence. He's the god of it. He knows when it's justifiable and when it's not, when it serves a purpose and when it's out of pure malice. He helped me realize that instead of trying to fight against my anger out of the shame it made me feel, I had to embrace it - become one with it. It's a part of me, at the end of the day. I just had to figure out how to control it instead of letting it control me.

He embraced me when I was too disgusted with this ugly side of me to even look in a mirror. I was scared of myself - he wasn't. He's seen worse. I never had someone accept me and all my flaws before, god or otherwise.

That's why it's so upsetting to see the modern depictions so many people have of him. Someone so understanding and loving being defined by the worst parts of Himself, just like I used to do with myself in the past.

Ares is the god of war, war is not the god of Ares.

[that-one-ya-pagan-book]

Ignatius Mycenae

Legacy of Perseus, Slayer of Medusa & King of the Mycenae | Devotee Of Lord Ares, Worshipper of the Chthonic Gods

[Moodboard Created By Me | Images All Found On Bing]

Name: Ignatius Mycenae

Ignatius - "Fire"/"Firey"

Mycenae - The City That Perseus Ruled Within Mythology; Named After Either The Cap That Fell Off His Sword [Myces] At The Sight, Or While Drinking Water & Picking Up A Myces/Mushroom In The Process

Parentage: Legacy of Perseus; Of The Direct Royal Line

Pronouns: He/Him - "It/Its" In Spirit

Age: 18

↳ Imagine being a legacy of the hero Perseus... yet holding a Medusa tattoo. Fucking pathetic, right?

Ethnicity: Chilean

Backstory:

Somewhere along the lines of--the probably tragic parts--History™️, Ignatius's Ancestors moved to the "bottom" of South America to live their lives in/among Spanish Culture. From 16 on--once he finished High School early & graduated--he juggled between Olympus as his "job" (to run parts of the "Camps" and afterschool activities) and living with his family in Chile. He's still shit at Offering things and keeping up with the Deities--he's always been--but something settles in him now. Just a little bit, to see Olympus in all its glory and to know he's apart of that, just like he's apart of his own family. Of course, he still gets grilled for being so far from his family sometimes but he likes the chaos of everything. It makes the little things worth it.

Powers: Increased Strength, Speed, Durability, & Endurance

Weapons: Wrench, Sarcasm, Deception

Characters That Inspired My Creation Of Him: Leo Valdez, Jim Street, Penelope Garcia, Feminine Rage Songs, Most Villains

Likes: Fixing Things & Being Useful; Mischief; Interacting With Children; Teaching [He Wants To Be A Teacher...]

Dislikes: Bullies [Very Known For Beating Them Up Back When He Was Younger]; Abusers [Especially Child-Abusers... He Likes To Take Missions Specifically For That]; The Sun [Very Bright :))]

Enemies: "The Gatsby"

Fun Facts:

Funnily enough... the last name did not come from his family originally, despite being the direct descendants of Lord Perseus, but instead from a... vaguely distant relative that one of them married & then continued the line with :)). It's a small world, isn't it? /lh

He teaches Mechanics to the kids upon Olympus during his free time and during the Summer. He would be apprenticing under Hephaestus, but he hasn't particularly worked himself up to that yet. Hephaestus is patient, though, and allows it to happen under his watchful eye to make sure things are okay.

Ignatius--"Ignis"/"Iggy" to the kids--worships the Chthonic Gods primarily because he likes how gruesome their domains are--it's soothing, somehow, especially because they kind of remind him of his own, big, weird family. Everyone ultimately cares about each other but they all have their own lives to go about and function within. Ignatius is and will always be horrible at Communicating and Offering to his Gods--it just always slips his mind until the dead of night and he'll go weeks without Worship even occuring to him, even though he sees and interacts with them everyday. It's amusing, at this point, to Lord Hades and Phobos & Deimos, and he gets lightly teased each time he rushes toward his scruffy altar to beg for Their forgiveness.

...Ignatius's Main Weapon--which is a weapon unique to each demigod, created by their own ichor which runs silently alongside their red blood cells--is a replica of Medusa's Head, complete with the ability to turn those she looks at into stone. He's known this since he was 16 and attacked on the subway with no way to get out. It still remains a huge mystery to mortals, what happens there, but he carries that shame with him everyday. I mean, a Legacy of Perseus--the original slayer of Medusa--carrying Her head around again?

{TW: Implied/Referenced Rape}

[Secretly, that comforts him too. Because, up until he was 14, he had a weird Uncle that would come into his room every night since he was 7 and leave him begging every being he knew (and he knew a lot from his large, polytheistic family) to make it stop. Secretly, he's been wanting Medusa's Head every night, even before she knew what she represents. He feels wrong for begging Medusa to save him just like she did Perseus and his Mother, but there's a strangely feminine voice that stops those sorry's in the middle of their tracks.]

Ignatius and Penelope are the best-est of friends, according to Ignis's childish words. They originally bonded over college--since Ignatius is going to study Philosophy within texts and Penelope is studying Marine Microbiology--but Ignatius just likes to ramble and Penelope enjoys listening, so they get along great & can be found in each others' presence literally whenever possible.

{She's even met his family, on multiple occasions, and he must suffer being asked when they are getting together Every. Single. Time. even when she was actively engaged to another man. Penelope, the menace, just smirked and went to go help his Abuelas and Mother in the kitchen while he sulked with the men of his family.}

[screeching-0wl]

Phobos & Deimos

Let's talk about my favourite terror twins!

Who are they?

Deimos (Δειμος) represents terror and dread, while his brother Phobos (Φοβος) - panic, flight and rout.

They embody two different types of fear. Dread and panic are closely related but distinct forms of the emotion, either of which could be disastrous in a battle or fight.

As twins, the two were very alike and almost inseparable. They were often seen together.

The brothers accompanied their father into battle along with some other spirits/deities (e.g. Eris, Alke, Enyo, Ioke). They were known to harness the fire-breathing stallions of Ares as well as drive his chariot inciting fear and terror among the fighting soldiers.

When Ares fought with Heracles and was wounded it was Phobos and Deimos who drove his chariot and brought him back to Olympos.

They are the gods or personified spirits (daimones) of fear and twin sons of Ares and Aphrodite.

As children of Aphrodite, they were also known to represent the fear of loss, perhaps as in a fear of losing all that one loves.

The Roman equivalent of Phobos would be Pavot and as for Deimos - Metus

Ares, Aphrodite, Eros and Phobos, Greco-Roman Pompeii Wall Fresco C1st A.D.

History and cult

Unfortunately, the information we have about the twins today is limited. Most often we can see them in ancient texts and myths described as being their father's attendants or charging into battle alongside Ares and other war-related deities but there is more to these deities as they can be just as terrifying in their own right.

In the Iliad, their names are mentioned several times as they are depicted fighting, however, we can also see them being shown on the shield of no one other but Agamemnon himself.

Homer, Iliad 11. 36 ff :

"[Description of the shield of Agamemnon :] And he took up the man-enclosing elaborate stark shield, a thing of splendour. There were ten circles of bronze upon it, and set about it were twenty knobs of tin, pale-shining, and in the very centre another knob of dark cobalt. And circled in the midst of all was the blank-eyed face of the Gorgo (Gorgon) with her stare of horror, and Deimos (Fear) was inscribed upon it, and Phobos (Terror)."

Pausanias also mentions that Phobos was represented on the shield of Agamemnon, on the chest of Cypsellus, with the head of a lion which was a common way of depicting him, as in classical art the brothers were usually depicted as unremarkable youths, either nude or in armour, so despite their associations with overwhelming forms of fear, Deimos and Phobos were typically not represented as particularly terrifying in their appearance, though as I mentioned already, sometimes Phobos was given the head of a lion or leonine features.

Portrait of Leonine Phobos, Greco-Roman mosaic, Halicarnassus C4th A.D.

What's more, the brothers are also said to be shown on the shield of Heracles where we can also get a glimpse of how the ancient Greeks thought the two could look like:

Hesiod, Shield of Heracles 139 ff :

"[Among the images engraved on the shield of Herakles:] In the centre was Phobos (Fear) worked in adamant, unspeakable, staring backwards with eyes that glowed with fire. His mouth was full of teeth in a white row, fearful and daunting, and upon his grim brow hovered frightful Eris (Strife) who arrays the throng of men . . . Upon the shield Proioxis (Pursuit) and Palioxis (Flight) were wrought, and Homados (Tumult), and Phobos (Panic), and Androktasie (Slaughter). Eris (Strife) also, and Kydoimos (Uproar) were hurrying about, and deadly Ker (Fate)."

Hesiod, Shield of Heracles 191 ff :

"[Among the images engraved on the shield of Herakles :] And on the shield stood the fleet-footed horses of grim Ares made gold, and deadly Ares the spoil-winner himself. He held a spear in his hands and was urging on the footmen: he was red with blood as if he were slaying living men, and he stood in his chariot. Beside him stood Deimos (Fear) and Phobos (Flight), eager to plunge amidst the fighting men."

Hesiod, Shield of Heracles 216 ff :

"[Images engraved on the shield of Herakles :] And upon the awful heads of the Gorgones great Phobos (Fear) was quaking."

Historical cult:

Phobos and Deimos were not commonly venerated deities throughout ancient Greece but because they were 'a key element' of war, individuals would conduct sacrifices to their name on battlefields to earn their favour or in other places where war had taken place (Spartans were said to do this but not only).

The classical texts do speak of a few cases in relation to the worship of the twins.

According to Plutarch, Alexander the Great offered sacrifices to Phobos on the eve of the Battle of Gaugamela, perhaps asking for Darius III to be filled with fear. Darius was said to have fled from the field of Gaugamela, making Alexander's praying to Phobos seem successful as a tactic.

And again, on Plutarch's account, Theseus offered a sacrifice to Phobos before joining the battle with Amazon during their invasion of Athens.

Stesichorus claimed that Kyknos, son of Ares who lived in Thessaly beheaded strangers who came along in order to build a temple to Phobos using their skulls.

Phobos and Ares in Ares's chariot, C.6th B.C.

Modern cult and correspondences

Disclaimer: there are many of my personal UPGs as there is not much historically accurate information when it comes to these things!

Associations

Colours: red, black, silver, grey, gold

Stones: bloodstone, garnet, carnelian, fire agate, tiger's eye, red jasper

Animals: bulls, horses, lions, dogs, carnivorous birds (especially vultures)

Element: Fire

Incense: Frankincense, dragon's blood

Objects: weapons, shields, armour, chariots, bones, skulls

Tarot major arcana: The Tower, Death, The Chariot, The Devil

Offerings

Historically, soldiers were said to slaughter and sacrifice animals to Phobos and Deimos, such as bulls.

Some modern offerings could include:

Meat

Wine

Bones (fake, real, whatever tickles your fancy, I guess)

Skulls/depictions of skulls

Weapons, shields, armour/images of said things

Something resembling blood (some juice maybe?)

Depictions of horses, lions and bulls

Facing your fears

Writing down things you're afraid of on a piece of paper and offering it to them

Learning how to deal with strong emotions in a healthy manner

Learning about war and its effects

Martial arts

Physical activity

Reading their mythology

Go-cart racing (a more feral offering, cause who's got a chariot nowadays, right? 🥲)

Black coffee

Energy drinks

Honestly, it doesn't have to be extra fancy. You can get pretty creative.

Epithets

There aren't many ancient epithets related to Phobos and Deimos, however in Hesiod's Theogony they are both called "terrible" and "shield-piercing", literary epithets, both of which have also been used in ancient texts when speaking of their father, Ares.

Aeschylus also refers to Phobos as "the one who delights in blood", and paints an image of a boastful warrior who's quick to announce his victory before the battle has even truly begun.

Here's a great post with epithets you could also use: LINK and I highly recommend you check out the authors blog, too.

And another great post about devotional acts, offerings, etc. by the same person: LINK

Ares, Deimos and Nike, Greco-Roman Orbe Floor Mosaic C3rd A.D.

Some more facts

The word "phobia" derives from phobos (Φοβος), meaning fear.

On the modern monument to the battle of Thermopylae, as well as the one at the city of Sparta, Leonidas' shield has a representation of Deimos.

By Semos of Delos, Deimos was attributed to being the father of Skylla by Krataiis (which was also said to be a surname of Hekate)

The two moons of the planet Mars are named Phobos and Deimos

If you have any questions about Phobos and Deimos, worshipping them or working with them, feel free to ask in DMs or wherever you want and I'll be happy to answer them! :)

Edit: Here's a slightly simplified version of this in a form of a cheet sheet

[misslightning]

hello beauties 💖

I was wondering if anyone here had some tips for honoring Phobos and Deimos? is there anything i can read about these two intriguing deities?

[thegeneralguy]

The Champion of Olympus - Ares’s Arrogance

By thegeneralguy

Revised by @amalianetwork​

The chariot of the sun was finishing its daily round over Mount Olympus, leaving a crimson trail in its path. The beautiful sky was painted red, the golden rooftops of the monumental temples and lavish palaces reflecting the majestic sunset´s light. In the inner circle of heaven, the faint sound of metal clashes resonated through the cloudy hills, where all the Olympian´s residences stood proudly watching over the vast extent of the celestial realm. The furious battle cries were coming from the dominion of the god of war. The magnificent mansion stood out of the rest of the buildings due to the dark marble composing its solemn columns, along with a vibrant bronze rooftop that illuminated the surroundings in a permanent hue of carmine.

The aggressive cacophony was coming from the inner courtyard, which occupied the biggest part of the palace. Ares was in the middle of a fierce battle against two other gods, wielding his giant golden spear to strike them with fury over and over again. His extremely muscular body did not impede his battle prowess, as he gracefully danced with the spear as an extension of his limbs. Both lesser gods brandished two identical golden swords, masterfully avoiding and countering the bigger deity's attacks. With the might of his enormous arm, the god of war planted his weapon on the ground propelling himself into a somersault and successfully jumping over the two surprised beings. Suspended on the air he then knocked down both his foes with a fast sweep of his powerful leg, landing gracefully on top of them.

"Again."

He said in a gruff bass voice, his fiery crimson eyes glaring down at the two defeated gods struggling to get back on their feet. Just as they were getting ready to clash weapons again, a bright pink flash replaced the bloody red atmosphere for an instant, leaving behind the most beautiful woman in existence. Ares put down his spear and walked towards his past lover, Aphrodite. She stared seductively at her forbidden object for desire. After all the eons resisting the urge to touch again, the mighty god of war still looked as imposing as the first time they fell for each other. His white robe was perched over one shoulder, exposing one half of his titanic chest. The enormous arms he once used to crack the skulls of his enemies rippled with power, thick veins pumping the holy ichor inside of them. His legs looked stronger than the dark marble columns supporting the palace. Many mementos from his previous battles decorated his bronze skin in the form of many little marks left by the few weapons that were able to harm him.

His brutish face was half concealed by a dense black beard and had a big scar that ran across from his hanging brow, through his eye, and got lost in the hair on his square chin. His intimidating appearance was only accentuated by his bald head, along with the piercing red eyes that flared with the rage of a thousand wars underneath. He approached the goddess, putting his arm around her waist and pulling her close, only to be pushed back by her slender arm.

"You know how he gets when he knows we're together, Ares."

The beautiful deity could barely hold her urge to make love with the masculine god in front of her, but the fear was greater than any other primal instinct she could feel. Ares grunted annoyed, and let the woman out of his embrace.

"I could take on him you know, and you would be finally free. Free to be with me for the rest of eternity."

Aphrodite looked at her former lover with a deep-rooted sadness behind her dark pink eyes and raised her elegant hand to caress the god's rough cheek. Ares took her hand delicately, like a gorilla grabbing the most delicate of a rose's petals, and planted a kiss full of passion and nostalgia of an immemorial time, when they were together, on her palm. They both stood still for a moment, and then Aphrodite removed her hand from his grip and took a step back.

"You know that can't be. Even though you're the god of war and combat, you're still no match for Hephaestus's might. Remember what happened last time."

Ares's winced for a moment, his melancholic visage quickly returning to its natural angry sneer. Of course, he remembered the humiliation his brother put his own wife and him through, exposing their affair to the rest of the gods. The animosity both of his parents felt for him only increased, making the god even more of an outcast than he already was. Only his desire for the goddess of beauty was stronger than his undying loyalty for his father, trying desperately to gain his favor in every conflict. But all his attempts failed miserably, especially when his sister Athena was involved. Zeus, although prideful and violent, was a brilliant strategist and he always sided with his wiser and more intelligent daughter, often leaving the god of war hurt in his pride. He looked back at Aphrodite reproachingly, wondering what the goddess's visit truly meant.

"What are you looking for Aphrodite? If you know Hephaestus doesn't like to see you with me, what is it that brings you to interrupt my training?"

"I know how these situations tend to put you under too much pressure. I just wanted to ask what you were planning to do concerning the trial of the Champion."

"It's been a long time since father has put a challenge on all of us. This might be my opportunity to prove once and for all that I'm the one he should be turning to in troubling times, not Athena."

The god of war was a force to be reckoned with. His prowess in battle was matched by no one in Mount Olympus, and his sheer force was only rivaled by few other deities. But although he was a fearsome opponent for whoever dared in challenging him, he had one fatal flaw: his arrogance. His thirst for blood and violence, when combined with his superiority complex, bred poor choices in and out of battle, often resulting in the mighty god being ridiculed. All the emotions from defeat were only magnified by his enormous ego, creating a bitter outcast who was often ignored by the rest of his fellow deities. Aphrodite knew that deep inside that glorious body and arrogant demeanor was a deep sadness product of rejection from his own family.

"I know how you feel Ares, but I would advise you not to waste too much energy in this affair. You know how Zeus can be when it comes to a world-ending crisis. I don't want you to get more hurt…"

She then took a step forward to put her hand on his gargantuan chest. Ares quickly turned his back towards Aphrodite, unable to keep the emotions from projecting on his face.

"What do you, the goddess of beauty, know about rejection? Father is completely blind to my superior power, and it's my duty to show him he has the most mighty ally for whatever challenge he might face. I have to eclipse the other competitors to take my rightful place on his side. Especially Athena."

The rivalry between the god of war and the goddess of wisdom was not unheard of in Mount Olympus. Even the epic tales from the terrestrial plane depicted the many victories Athena had against Ares. The big scar on the god's face was an eternal reminder of the goddess's superior abilities, often fueling the god's rage in battle every time he caught a glimpse of it in the reflection of a shield. Aphrodite wasn't very keen on Athena either, often clashing with her because of their separate views on vices and virtues, but it was nothing compared to the strong hatred Ares felt for her. The goddess of beauty then took a few steps forward to stand next to the strong deity.

"I guess there is no point in trying to stop you. I would advise you to be careful though. I don't know if you noticed, but Zeus's demeanor seemed very strange during the reunion. You'd be deceiving yourself if you didn't think the ascension of a new champion is not something out of the ordinary."

The god of war stood quiet for some time, reflecting on Aphrodite's words. It was true that the ritual of ascension was a holy ceremony, reserved for heroic acts of celebration instead of an emergency of this type. The last time he tried to gift a mortal with the divine essence, he watched helplessly as his devotee was consumed by its power, obliterating him. He couldn't even remember when was the last time the ritual was successful. But all these concerns were of little meaning for Ares. Before he stood a perfect opportunity to demonstrate his power and to show his abnegation for his father.

"I already made up my mind, Aphrodite. I will personally descend to the Earth and create the best Champion there is. No one will be able to stand against him, for he will be forged by my superior power."

Aphrodite let out a frustrated sigh, knowing her attempts of dissuading the god from taking part in this ridiculous plan were pointless. This whole plot seemed very suspicious for her, but she couldn't exactly point out what was going on. If Ares wasn't going to help her find out, she'll have to resort to other more extreme means. She then looked at the two godlings standing firmly waiting for Ares's command. Both looked practically identical, standing tall and strong like their father, but their handsome faces devoid of their progenitor's magnificent beard. They also had heads full of thick dark brown curls, encasing their more youthful faces. Their muscular bodies were also covered by numerous scars, mostly done by their father's spear.

"Look at my poor children. What have you done to them, Ares?"

Phobos and Deimos were the twin children of beauty and war, born out of human's innermost primal instinct: fear. Both godlings owed an undying loyalty to their father, often accompanying him in each of his affairs. Ares walked towards them, inspecting every inch of his two soldiers, who stood there firmly in silence awaiting their father's command.

"I made them into what they're right now. Two war weapons capable of sowing despair out of mortal hearts. And it seems I'll make use of their service once again. I'm going to make use of a couple of tricks you've shown me."

"If you already made your decision, it is useless to remain here and try to convince you otherwise. Just a word of advice Ares, don't let your pride be your downfall once again."

The goddess disappeared then with a flash, leaving Ares and the two godlings alone once again. The god of war then pondered on the goddess's words, wondering if he should change his mind and challenge his father, like many members of his family were going to. He remembered an ancient saying from another mortal cult: pride goes before the fall. But he quickly dismissed any doubt circling his mind. An opportunity to gain Zeus's grace wasn't going to present itself that easily again. It was his chance to demonstrate his superior existence, and take Athena's place right next to their father. His rugged face was drawn with a sinister smile. He was going to reap a human from his sister's flock, proving once and for all who the most powerful warrior of Olympus was.

It was an unusually agitated day for Athens High. The days before summer vacation were always received with enthusiasm by the students, and relief by the faculty members. Colorful school banners announcing the graduation ceremony for the seniors decorated the hallways, proudly signifying another school year's death. Every student was filled to the brim of school spirit, enthusiastically signing yearbooks, taking pictures, and joking with their soon to be former teachers. All except one. Leon Machiavelli sat quietly at his desk, tapping his feet nervously while he waited for the ultimate call for freedom that was the ringing of the bell on the last school day.

High school could be harsh for someone like Leon. The 19-year-old always felt like a fish out of water when it came to socializing with his classmates, most of his time spent on furthering his knowledge and improving his chances of getting into an Ivy League college, finally ridding himself of the shackles that an upbringing in a small rural town in the middle of nowhere could bring. The few friendships he managed to make over the course of his years through school were few and far too insignificant to regret his choice in moving to the other side of the country and never hearing from them again. Not to mention his troubled relationship with his parents, who were concerned by their son's more hermit nature. His family had been living in that town for a few generations, owning some small businesses in the surrounding area and establishing itself as one of the most aristocratic families in the county.

The swan song of the school year chimed in the form of the bell's ring, causing excited screams and cheers from all students. Notebooks were propelled into the air, paper falling everywhere painting the floor with white. Girls exchanged teary hugs, immortalizing their last moments in the classroom with their smartphones and guys hollered and smashed against each other in fraternal hugs. Leon swiftly picked up his backpack and made a beeline towards the exit, already feeling claustrophobic in the middle of the chaos. He made his way through the sea of students, already feeling the scorching hot summer air blowing at his face. When he was just a step away from freedom, he felt a meaty hand on his shoulder pulling him back inside. He turned around with an exasperated look on his face, only to find out the hand belonged to Kevin Volker, the varsity football captain.

"Leon, bro, what's up? I haven't seen you all day."

The relationship between the hunky jock and the hermit bookworm was, to say the least, complicated. Both boys practically grew up together, their families living next to each other and going to the same school from kindergarten all through to high school. Childish wonder pushed them to form a very good friendship in their first years of development. Family barbeques, playdates, camping trips, both boys had all the necessary qualities to become the best of friends. The fact that their parents were also friends and business partners was also a good advantage for them to keep interacting almost like brothers. All their years of primary school were spent joyfully carefree, with both boys enjoying the wonder of practically living together and embarking on whichever childish adventure they wanted.

But things got different once Kevin's biological clock sent him spiraling into puberty. The gorgeous blonde boy became an athletic teenager, and his energetic nature combined with his newly acquired physical prowess turned him into a social sensation in school. The allure of the childish fantasies he used to share with his best friend was slowly replaced by the enjoyment a real-life circle of friends could bring. Kevin naturally went up the ladder of the monstrous social scale that was high school. The sports teams didn't waste any time in hunting him down, but it was the school's most prided one that caught him in the end: the football team. After just four years the cute teen had developed into a strapping young man, with an all-American jock face and a body to die for.

Watching his best friend turn into the king of school wasn't easy for Leon. The slow abandonment combined with his frustrations over his very delayed development slowly bittered him. Instead of growing up big and strong like Kevin, Leon just gained a few inches in height, but a lot of pounds in weight. He resented his friend for getting the attention of their peers and leaving him alone to fuel their fantasy world on his own. He resented his friend for gaining the grace of other students, and soon cut all ties to him. The chubby red-head grew up alone in the darkness of his bedroom, while the blonde stud dwelled in the sunlight. His natural curiosity pushed him into pursuing knowledge, far prioritizing the cultivation of the mind instead of the body. His academic achievements mixed in with his hidden frustrations bred an arrogance delusion. Leon convinced himself that he was too good for other people, shielding himself from the pain of rejection. Completely dismissing any attempt of remaining active took a toll on his body, turning the chubby teen into an overweight young man with a disheveled appearance. Every time he saw Kevin, he remembered their lost childhood and caught a glimpse of his true reality. The muscular jock served as a window of truth in Leon's arrogant delusion: his loneliness was a product of his own doing.

"I was just busy getting my things ready for tomorrow's speech. Can I help you with anything?"

He bitterly stared into the jock's blue eyes and saw exactly the look that he hated. Even though Kevin grew dismissive towards him, he never once participated in the occasional bullying red-head suffered, often offering to help out with whatever he needed. His usual cocky gaze hid a deep-set sympathy for the lonely nerd, and Leon hated that. He didn't need the sympathy of someone he considered inferior.

"No, it's all good thanks. I'm going to drive home first to pick up my gym bag, and I wanted to offer you a ride. It's too fucking hot out there, man,” said Kevin with a burst of awkward laughter. His deep voice vibrated on his chest, which twitched playfully from time to time. Leon scanned his former friend with a resentful gaze. The heavily muscled jock was encased in the trendiest designer clothes, his bulging arms threatening to rip his polo's sleeves apart, and the tree trunks he had for legs wrapped in skin-tight chinos, showcasing the deep definition within the heavy muscles. He tried his best not to stare too much into the body and kept his apathetic frown fixed on his piercing blue eyes.

"Thank you, but I'm gonna take the bus. There's some stuff in town I need to sort out first."

"That's ok, guess I'll see you tomorrow in the graduation ceremony then,” said Kevin with a subdued sigh. Leon turned around without saying anything and headed outside towards the searing sunlight. Even though he kept a straight face during the exchange with his former friend, his fists were clenched due to the anger he felt. Even after all those years, Leon's heart still skipped a beat every time the jock was nearby. No matter how much he tried to deceive himself into thinking he was the superior of the two, he couldn't get rid of the feelings he had for his former friend.

"Congratulations on the valedictorian thing by the way!"

He managed to scream before Leon was outside the door. The chubby red-head barely turned around, and with a weak thanks, he was lost in the blinding light.

The little town's main street was buzzing with activity on the hot summer afternoon. Families paraded themselves on the sidewalk, eating ice cream and letting the kids play on the numerous water fountains around the place. Little restaurants and boutiques decorated the sides of the street, offering a colorful option of both local and imported goods to the town's small population. The Machiavelli family owned many of those businesses and almost every convenience store in town. Leon was heading to the family's favored tailor to meet his mother to get his outfit for the graduation ready. After all, the son of one of the town's most important families couldn't show up in his usual disheveled state to his high school graduation. Leon always thought things like fashion and social status were frivolities, intellectually inferior people used to feel better about themselves, so he gave little importance to them. Even now on the threshold of the rest of his life, he could care less about how he looked, but his mother insisted so much that he gave in to her requests to keep her from nagging him any longer.

The little bell on top of the door chimed in when he entered the door, attracting the attention of his mother, who was enthusiastically discussing ties and bows with the tailor.

"Honey, you made it! Step in front of the mirror please, Mr. Schneider will take your final measurements."

No one would think the chubby teenager was related to the elegant woman standing next to the counter. She looked flawless despite her age and dressed impeccably no matter if she was at a charity ball or going to the supermarket. The only trait that tied both of them to each other was their fiery red hair, which she kept in a perfect updo fully solidifying her upper-class status. Without saying a word, Leon stepped up to the little platform surrounded by three body-sized mirrors. The tailor approached him, fully armed with his measuring tape and a set of pins to hold the seams and folds in place.

"What do you think of this tie honey? I think the green would highlight your…"

The excited chatter of his mother soon faded away, as Leon focused more and more on his reflection of the three pieced mirrors. It looked like puberty forgot about him in the middle of the way. He never really grew that much in height, topping at a shorter 5'5. The prominent curve of his stomach was visible through the simple black t-shirt he was wearing, deforming The legend of Zelda's Triforce symbol together with his sagging chest. His stubby arms laid powerless on his sides, and his chubby legs were hidden under a pair of oversized jeans. His pale freckled face was covered by pimples, accentuating his unclean appearance, and it still sported the signs of infancy he never outgrew, with chubby cheeks and a small nose. The most prominent feature on him was his bright green eyes, courtesy of his mother's Irish heritage, along with his unkempt red curls. He had convinced himself long ago that an unkept body was not a problem as long as the mind flourished, so he gave up on any attempt in bettering his appearance. Dwelling in his thoughts he didn't realize the tailor was done measuring and was discussing the suit's finishing touches with his mother, who didn't wait for her son's approval on the rest of the accessories.

"Is that all mom?"

He asked a bit annoyed whilst grabbing his belongings and heading to the door.

"Yes honey, I'll arrange the rest with Mr. Schneider. You will look so handsome tomorrow. I'll see you at home later."

She answered without even looking at him. Leon sighed and headed outside, not wanting to spend another second thinking in tomorrow's ceremony, and made his way towards his house.

The Machiavelli family's estate consisted of a big two-story house, a big garden with a swimming pool, and a small guest house. There was no doubt that it belonged to very affluent people. The mansion's pearl white walls reflected the afternoon sunlight, almost giving it an incandescent glow. Leon entered through the massive oak doors and headed straight for his room. On his way there he couldn't help but catch a glimpse of the massive family portrait in the house's foyer. A younger Leon smiled faintly back at him; his chubby body encased in a black suit just like his father. The elegant man looked imposing with his strong physique and masculine features. The only common thing Leon and his father had was their last name because no one would say the pale red-head was related to the mature Italian stud that was his father. His mom looked perfect as usual, leaving Leon sticking out like a sore thumb between his two impressive progenitors. He tried his best to ignore the picture like he always did and enclosed himself in his private sanctuary.

His room was decorated with posters of antique temples, beautiful palaces, and imposing sculptures. Leon's love for fantasy had slowly driven him into researching the origin of human imagination itself, and therefore human's creative history. His ultimate goal was to become erudite of anthropology, teaching and researching in the most lauded institutions on the field and finally gaining the recognition of better people than the small-town folk he loved to look down upon. He sat down on his desk to revise his prepared speech for the graduation ceremony one last time. Despite his parent's best effort to dissuade him, Leon was willing to perform a bitter soliloquy expressing his frustrations against his classmates and solidifying his status as the class' arrogant intellectual. Beneath the snarky remarks and morality lectures written on paper, laid a profound pain product of his loneliness. His train of thought slowly brought the image of Kevin into his head again. Leon was going to finally be free of watching him blossom more and more every day. But even if he moved across the country, he was still unsure he would ever be able to forget the handsome jock. After all, despite the endless hours he spent convincing himself Kevin abandoned him out of malice, he was the only person Leon ever loved.

The chubby red-head barely gave any thought to his sexuality. He considered any kind of lust as a distraction, a primal burden that impeded the full growth of the human psyche. Unlike practically all of his classmates, he wore his virginity as a badge of honor, his mind completely clean of the stain of sex. But despite trying his best to suppress his natural urges, the thought of Kevin always came through inside his head. The connection they shared when they were children still transcended the barriers Leon tried to put up to elevate himself. And the fact that the handsome jock looked like a classical Greek sculpture come to life didn't help the lascivious thoughts leave the nerd's mind. Leon tried to hate Kevin as much as he could because if he didn't, he would become the ultimate shackles preventing him from breaking free from his small-town life once and for all. The last golden rays of sunset light came into the room through the big windows, illuminating the red-head's face. His gaze was glued to the sheet of paper in front of him. This speech was an ode to intellectual growth, and a farewell to the life Leon chose to leave behind. He went into bed exhausted, nervous about the events coming up the next day. It was going to be the last time Leon Machiavelli graced his classmates with his thoughts. Afterward, the only way they could catch a glimpse of his brilliant mind was either buying his future publications or listening to his TED talks.

It was past midnight when Leon was woken up by a shiver down his spine. The pale moonlight illuminated his bedroom, casting out gruesome shadows out of every corner. The nerd had the feeling something was staring at him from the darkness. The entire room was scorching hot, despite the cold night air flowing through an open window. A low animal growl attracted Leon's attention towards the darkest corner in the bedroom. His face went pale with fear when he discovered the two big glowing red eyes staring at him maliciously. A black figure slowly crept out of the shadows, making itself visible thanks to the white moonlight. Leon stared speechless at the giant black dog growling at him menacingly from the other side of the room. His big snout was curled up into an angry snarl, making the dagger sized fangs visible. The terrified nerd was petrified in his bed, unable to muster the minimal courage to even scream for help. Without taking his eyes off of him, the black dog spoke with a deep man's voice.

"When the time comes, follow me. I will give you what you want"

And as soon as it appeared, it melted into the shadows, leaving the red-head alone to faint out of the fear he just experienced.

  The golden rays of sunlight in the late morning woke Leon up, who groggily rubbed his eyes and got up. Despite sleeping through the night, he felt exhausted. He was unsure if what he saw in the darkness had been real or just a product of the stress before graduation. He looked at the clock on his nightstand, only to realize he had slept through his alarm and was already running late.

"Damn it"

He yelled exasperated as he jumped out of bed to get ready for his ceremony. He splashed some water face and combed his red curls a little bit just to hide the mark the pillow had left on his head. One of the maids brought up the finished suit his mother had bought the previous day. It was a beautiful dark grey suit, Italian cut, with an emerald green tie and a handkerchief to match. He quickly put it on, feeling it snug against his body. Despite the suit being tailored to his exact fit, the outward curve of his prominent stomach was still visible, putting a slight strain on the buttons. The emerald green tie did highlight his eyes, just like his mother told him before buying it. He took the cards for his upcoming speech and made sure he had everything ready for the ceremony. On his way out, he looked at his reflection on the big mirror in the hallway. Even after neglecting his appearance today, the beauty of the suit made him look almost distinguished. He felt strong, ready to sever his ties to this town and his past. It was going to be a memorable day, marking the beginning of his new life.

He arrived at the ground floor of the mansion, only to find it empty. A small note was laying on top of the little table next to the entrance.

"Your father and I went to the club for a quick workout. We'll see you later at school. Tell Charlie to drive you there if you don't want to take one of the cars."

He crushed the little note on his hands, feeling a pang of pain due to his parents' absence. It wasn't unusual for his mother to delegate accompanying him to the chauffeur, but Leon thought the day of his high school graduation was going to be different. He quickly dismissed any sorrow from his head, replacing it with a fiery determination. His speech today was also inspired by his aloof parents, who barely gave their only son a second thought. He looked at the big family portrait one last time. With this suit, he might have looked a bit like he belonged, but he knew the truth. His destiny was far away from this little town, which was below his expectations.

The school was buzzing with activity, with teachers running everywhere getting every last detail prepared, and students getting their graduation robes ready for the ceremony. Colorful banners decorated the main courtyard, where a scenario with a podium and a line of seats was built. The many rows of chairs in front of it were already filling themselves up with enthusiastic families, readying their cameras for their children's special moments. Leon scoffed at the scene, thinking how sad it was that this was going to be the only highlight in their offspring's life. He picked up his robe and valedictorian sash and headed towards his seat. In the distance, he saw Kevin arrive with both of his parents. The gorgeous stud was impeccably dressed in a beautiful sapphire blue suit. Every muscle was perfectly framed and enveloped in the expensive fabric, accentuating the dramatic angles his body formed. His dirty blond hair was perfectly styled in his usual messy style, and his white smile beamed stronger than the sun itself. Leon couldn't take his eyes off from his former friend, making an inhumane effort to remain focused on his goal. This day was going to be about him for the first time, not about Kevin.

The ceremony began after all the attendants took their seats, with the principal opening the day with a generic speech about school spirit and class fraternity. Leon fiddled with his cards nervously, the pressure of his big moment slowly starting to overcome him. He couldn't help but ask himself if he was willing to pull through it. After all, his classmates were still people deserving of respect, even if he considered them intellectually inferior. But then the memory of Kevin laughing with all of them, sharing the fabled fraternal bond the principal was talking about, and excluding Leon from their circle solidified his decision. The words he was going to say could be harsh, but it was something he felt entitled to share.

"And now, please welcome the Athens High class of 2019 valedictorian, Leon Machiavelli."

The sound of the applause woke Leon up from his daze, as he stood up and made his way to the podium. All the eyes in the audience were for the first time focused on him. The scorching sunlight made him feel a little light-headed, his hair matted with sweat, and his body sticking uncomfortably to his suit. He looked at the seats below him, squinting his eyes due to the sun's intense shine. All of the chairs were occupied, except two, very close to the front rows. Leon let out a sorrowful sigh, the last ember of hope of sharing this moment with his parents dying. He put his cards down, took a big breath, and started speaking.

"My fellow students of Athens High. The promised day is finally upon us, the day when we will finally take flight and begin the rest of our lives. Most of you don't even know who I am, but after today you will never forget my name. When I was writing this speech, I couldn't help but notice a few ironic facts that I would like to share with you. It is fitting that our school mascot is an owl because that is how I've felt all these years. I've dedicated countless hours to quietly observing your behavior, your desires, and every intricate social structure in our school, and I can't help but feel immense gratitude. Thanks to all of you, I've blossomed into the epitome of human intelligence and wisdom that I am today. And let me tell you why. After a long analysis, I've come up with the conclusion that my greatest fear is becoming as simple as one of you…."

Something beyond the sun's glare caught his attention. At first, he thought it might be a mirage caused by the burning heat, but the more he focused on it, the clearer it became. A shadow beneath a far tree looked eerily familiar. Leon's hands started to tremble in fear, as he recognized the black dog from last night staring at him from the distance, its glowing red eyes visible through the blinding sunlight. His entire speech suddenly vanished from his mind, together with the fleeting empowerment he was feeling moments ago. He fumbled nervously with the cards, only to drop them by accident.

"You….uh…..I…"

The echoes of his nervous words coming from the speakers resonated through the courtyard. Curious eyes focused on Leon, who quickly turned into a sweaty mess. He looked at Kevin in the front row, who had a worried look on his face. He felt a shame he had never felt before. Being humiliated in front of half the town was the last thing Leon wanted. He searched for the dog again, only for it to vanish without a trace. He looked at the public in defeat and managed to scavenge some last words to minimize the embarrassment.

"I want to thank you all for coming. Enjoy the rest of the ceremony."

With those last words, Leon left the podium and sank into his seat, wishing for the earth to swallow him. The principal took the microphone again and followed through with the protocol.

"Thank you, Leon, for those, uh, inspiring words. And now, we will present the students with their diplomas."

Leon sat in his place quietly, staring at the green grass. In his mind, the only thing that was present was the horrible feeling of embarrassment. Everything he had planned; all the preparation and previous excitement had been for nothing. The muffled sound of pomp and circumstance blasting out of the speakers was all he could hear, as the principal went through the line of students calling each of them to the podium and shaking hands with them. One face still stood out from the rest: Kevin's. One thing was failing in front of his classmates, but failing in the presence of the person he wanted to impress the most made everything worse. Now Kevin would never find out how well-off Leon thought he was despite being abandoned by the handsome jock. Somewhere inside the cacophony governing the courtyard, he heard his name, and without taking his gaze off the ground he stood up and picked up his diploma. He gave the principal a weak handshake and quickly slid back into his chair. This moment was indeed immortalized in his mind, but not in the way he intended.

Once all students got their respective acknowledgments, the ceremony ended with Oxford caps decorating the sky accompanied by deafening applause. Families reunited in the whole courtyard, hugging and blasting pictures everywhere. Leon was still in his seat when he saw both his parents approaching him.

"Honey, sorry we're late. How was your speech,” asked his mother without any hint of remorse in her voice. Leon was used to being left behind by his family, but this time he felt actual pain. If his parents were there, the only people with whom he shared some kind of superficial connection, he wouldn't have felt so helpless in the aftermath of his speech debacle. He looked up at his parents with cold wrath in his eyes, tears starting to slowly well up inside them.

"I don't ask much of you. I don't mind when you hide me at your parties, or when you go on extravagant trips without me. I just asked for your presence for one day. One day."

His reproaches were met by the unchanging poised faces of his progenitors. His mother was the first one to speak.

"Honey, not here. People are looking,” She said with a simulated smile.

"I don't care about your deluded picture of perfection, mother. You ruined the last time we were going to connect as a family. And for what? A sauna bath in your pretentious club."

His father's petrified face showed a glimpse of anger. The Machiavelli patriarch had never been very fond of his only child, considering him a nuisance and a liability for their public image. Leon just didn't fit well as the heir of the family's fortune, completely lacking charisma and skill to lead. In his eyes, the only thing his son did was cower behind his infinite collection of books in his room.

"Quit whining, Leon. You should be thankful your mother and I made time to come and congratulate you. Now, let's take a picture. We will discuss this back at home."

Leon's last hope of acceptance from his family died as soon as the flash from the camera was gone, his young heart completely overtaken by the coldness of rejection. His aloof parents then proceeded to greet the rest of the attendants. The young nerd felt completely lost inside the crowd. All he wanted to do was to get back home, pack his bags and leave on the next bus out of town. While he was analyzing the best way to scurry out of there, a sapphire flash caught his attention. He then looked towards it, only to find out the colorful splash of light came from Kevin, who was heading into the school through a side entrance. At first, he didn't pay too much attention to it, but then he saw the black dog from earlier following the handsome jock. After some consideration, Leon managed to conjure the courage to follow Kevin into the building, worried about what that black creature could do to his former friend. He pushed the door and entered the school's auditorium, only to find it dark and empty. The light to the locker rooms was on, so he made his way through the big hall towards it.

"Kevin? Are you in here?"

His nervous voice echoed through the rows of metal lockers. The air in the room felt damp and heavy, the lingering musky smell of sweaty athletes permanently staining the atmosphere. Something else was mixed in the aromas, a metallic scent, like rusted metal. He hesitantly stepped further into the locker room, his only companion being the sound of his footsteps on the tiled floor. The cold lights flickered from time to time, giving the entire scene a very ominous appearance. He turned around the corner and finally found Kevin in front of the sinks. He was staring emptily into the mirror, completely unaware of Leon's presence. The young nerd was terrified but kept approaching the young jock.

"Hey Kevin, are you alright?"

He said as he put a sweaty hand on Kevin's shoulder. He was able to perceive a red flicker on the jock's icy blue eyes, and then Kevin reacted to his touch.

"Leon, what's up? You look scared bro, are you alright?"

He said casually beaming his celebrity smile towards Leon, who just stared completely puzzled at the handsome jock.

"I saw a black dog follow you into the auditorium. Have you seen it?"

"Black dog? Bro, I really think the heat has started to affect you. I just came inside to freshen up a bit, but I haven't seen any black dog."

"But I swear I saw it come inside, I was a bit concerned it would attack you or anything. That thing has been roaming around school premises since the ceremony. I saw it during my...."

He made a pause, remembering the events that had just taken place moments before during the ceremony. The rage product of his humiliation returned to him.

"During my speech. Never mind, I can't say I'm surprised you're unable to notice even the most obvious things."

Kevin's smile faded from his face, his gorgeous gaze gaining the depth that bothered Leon so much because it made him care for a person he had convinced himself was below him.

"Leon, bro, I know things haven't been okay between us for a while. I'm sorry if I ever made you feel bad or something. I was just going with the flow, I never intended to hurt you. But I can't keep myself away anymore. If today is about a cycle, then there is something I need to set straight between us."

Leon's cold gaze lightened up a bit, curious about what he was talking about. He had never seen Kevin this nervous before. The young jock stared at the floor and fiddled nervously with his hands. The words came out a bit forced out of his mouth like someone was making him recite a memorized confession.

"I need to tell you something, but not here. Come to my place tonight for the party. Everyone will be there."

"I don't know Kevin. Parties aren't really my cup of tea…."

The handsome jock put his strong hand on Leon's shoulder and gave him a mischievous smile that not even the nerd's toughest defenses could resist.

"I promise to make it worth your while."

Leon hesitated for a second, completely incredulous for what he was hearing. He had already decided not to go to the party, but the day was not going according to plan. He could feel his heart beating almost out of his chest, excited and intrigued for whatever the jock was going to tell him.

"Sure, I'll see you there."

An eerie spark lit up behind Kevin's blue eyes, but Leon was so dumbstruck he completely missed it.

"Sweet bro, I'll see you later then. Nice clothes by the way."

Kevin then pulled the smaller man up for a hug, smothering him with his strong body. Leon could feel the hardness of his muscles through the expensive blue fabric. The jock then made his way towards the exit, leaving Leon in a disoriented haze. For a moment he completely forgot about the gruesome black dog and his failed speech, all he could see in his mind was Kevin's gorgeous smile.

  The sun was already setting when Leon arrived at the Volker residence. Many groups of his fellow students were approaching the mansion through the extensive courtyard, already with some drinks on their hands. The young nerd hesitated, his social anxiety crippling him for a moment. He still despised the rest of his class and saw no point in trying to interact with them. If he was going to this party, it was for Kevin only. Maybe something good would come out of this terrible day after all. When he crossed through the house's massive portal, he was immediately assaulted by an explosion of light and sound completely overwhelming his senses. A sea of young adults covered the big parlor and the adjacent rooms, drinking and dancing like there was no tomorrow. The big chandelier hanging from the ceiling was adapted to flash beams of light of different colors in all directions, and a DJ booth was installed on the far end of the formal living room, blasting some modern music Leon couldn't recognize. He was an absolute amateur when it came to partying, so he felt lost and scared inside the crowd. He tried looking for Kevin everywhere, but due to his short height, he wasn't able to look past a few heads before him.

Leon approached the drinking table and ordered a soda. He tried to find a quiet corner to drink in peace before resuming his search for his former friend, but everywhere he looked was swarmed by the inebriated guests. He was quickly losing his patience, as he was pushed around by the dancing crowd over and over again. Somehow, he found his way to the big spiral staircase leading to the upper floors and jumping over the barrier to keep attendants on the ground floor, he quickly went up a few steps to get a better overview. Despite gaining the higher ground, his attempts in finding his friend proved unsuccessful. He was about to give up and head back home defeated when something caught his attention through the mahogany banister. The monstrous-looking black dog was staring at him from above, its glowing red eyes visible despite the chaotic party atmosphere. After making sure the nerd saw it, it walked further up the stairs into the second floor.

Leon remembered what the beast had told him the night before, and followed it into the higher level of the mansion. Once he made it to the upper floor, he saw the dog walking through a long hallway and entering the furthest room. The young nerd continued his pursuit and found himself in what he assumed was Kevin's room. The lavish bedroom was decorated with all sorts of trophies and medals, as well as an entertainment system appropriate for an active teenager. Leon's attention was drawn to the row of portraits on the big bookshelf. Pictures of young Kevin in all sorts of family trips and sports events were displayed in delicate frames. One picture, in particular, stood out from the rest. Leon couldn't believe his eyes as he took the silver frame in his hands and stared at the photograph. A young Kevin had his arm wrapped around a young Leon, both sitting on top of a rock next to a river. They were laughing, radiating genuine happiness through the picture. Leon couldn't believe that after all those years, Kevin kept memories from their childhood so close to him. The young man the nerd considered his bitter rival and enemy never antagonized him.

The big glass door to the balcony opened suddenly, letting a warm gust of wind into the room. Leon put the picture back in its place and headed outside. The stunning twilight sky was painted in different shades of red, showering the scenery with crimson rays of light. The hot summer breeze rustled the leaves on the trees surrounding the properties, producing a serene sound that drowned the music from downstairs. The nerd stepped on the balcony, and finally found what he was looking for. Kevin was standing on the edge of the marble banister, watching the beautiful sunset.

"Kevin?"

The handsome jock turned around to face Leon. The only thing the young nerd could see were the icy blue eyes inside his former friend's shadow, his silhouette completely encased in a red halo product of the dying sunset.

"I knew you would come. Come here, I want you to look at this."

Leon stepped forward, taking place right next to the handsome jock. Kevin flashed his regular charming smile at the nerd, who instantly turned red as a beet. For an instant, he was thankful for this unusually bright sunset that hid the blush on his cheeks.

"I wanted this evening to go perfectly. And now that you're here it's finally complete."

"Just tell me what you want Kevin. We haven't talked in years and suddenly you take interest in me. I just want to know why."

Kevin diverted his gaze into the sunset, suddenly turning serious. Leon could see the distress in his eyes.

"I never lost interest in you Leon. It was you who pushed me away. You were the one that decided to stop hanging out with me."

Leon clenched his fists in anger, the painful memories of his friend exchanging him for more popular friends still poisoning his mind.

"How dare you say that! You were the one that went away, that grew into…."

He made a nervous pause, uncertain about what he was about to say. The wrath inside of him made him spill out the words without thinking.

"Into a mindless meathead. Look at us, Kevin. Your physical prowess is unparalleled, that's a fact. But I got what truly matters: a brilliant mind. I have preserved my psyche in the best way possible. I've resisted the allure of petty teenage necessities. And now, I'm in the way of becoming one of the most brilliant thinkers in recent years!"

Kevin turned around to face the angry nerd, who was on the brink of tears due to the pent-up rage he was feeling.

"Is that what you truly want bro? It sounds very lonely to me."

"I don't need anyone. Soon, I'll be where I'm supposed to. I don't mind being alone."

Kevin grabbed Leon's arm, pulling him closer. The nerd could feel the intense heat radiating from the hunk's body. He stared directly into his former friend's blue eyes.

"Are you sure you want to be alone? I might not be the sharpest tool in the shed, but I got all the attention I want, from anyone. When you look like me, it's an easy task."

He said flexing his meaty arm, straining the soft blue fabric on the sleeves of his suit. Leon couldn't take his eyes off of Kevin's body, completely mesmerized by the jock's posing show. He failed to notice his friend's eyes shining in a dark red shade from time to time. The jock's voice turned from warm and concerned, into cold and aggressive.

"No matter how much you lie to yourself Leon, you want to be like me. To finally be accepted by everyone, including your parents. Picture it for a second. Finally, be worthy of being called your father's son. What use is your intelligence to the Machiavelli family, when you lack the courage to destroy your fears? Truth is, you're no more than a resentful dweeb."

Kevin continued flexing, taking off his suit's jacket, his movements starting to take on a seductive flair.

"Stop it. You don't know what you're talking about."

"Of course I know. I know everything about you bro, including your darkest secret."

Leon suddenly opened his eyes like plates, completely incredulous for what was coming out of the jock's mouth. It was impossible anyone knew how he felt about Kevin, he didn't tell anyone. Kevin smiled with a hint of malice, knowing he had Leon right where he wanted him. His blue eyes now shone in a permanent crimson hue.

"That's right, I know that you like me. Your mind is indeed a complex maze, but no psyche cannot be cracked open. I could feel the fear of being discovered practically pouring out of your pores."

Leon looked down in defeat, feeling the embarrassment bubble out of him. He knew this was too good to be true. Kevin approached Leon once again, taking his chubby face with his hands and pulling it up to face him. The nerd's green eyes were pooled with tears.

"There's no reason to be miserable. The reason I called you here tonight was to tell you I feel the same way about you."

Leon couldn't help but open his mouth incredulously, his mind still registering the words that just came out of the jock's mouth.

"Wha—what?"

"I've also never connected with anyone the way I connected with you. You know the real me, buried beneath this sculptural body. That means I also know the real you. You don't have to be alone."

The young nerd's sad frown slowly turned into a smile. His face was inches away from his friend's, feeling the jock's hot breath on his skin. And then he smelled it. The same metallic smelled he caught in the locker room back at school, only this time it was much more intense. He also took notice of Kevin's glowing red eyes.

"Wait, this is not right. What's happened to you?"

Kevin's grip on Leon's face tightened, his face gaining a sinister flair.

"I'm exactly who I'm supposed to be. The question here is: are you?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Are you who you are supposed to be? I know the real you is buried beneath this intellectual façade. We just gotta pull him out."

Kevin started caressing Leon's overweight body, rubbing his torso over the suit's jacket. The young nerd was giving in to the moment, closing his eyes and enjoying the sensation of his friend's strong hands on his body. One last glimmer of resistance made him suddenly pull away.

"No. I don't want this. I'm above these carnal sensations. I've never done anything with anyone."

Kevin smiled, unbuttoning the first two buttons of his shirt, exposing the ripped divide of his upper chest.

"I know you're a virgin, I don't have any problems with that."

"But I do. I don't want it to be this way. If it ever comes to it, I want it to be special."

Kevin's confident smile quickly disappeared, replaced by a displeased scowl.

"Look at this Leon. The sunset, the balcony, the hot summer air. You said it yourself, this is the end of one phase of our lives. Isn't this special enough for you?"

"I don't know Kevin; this doesn't feel right."

"Look, it's very simple. I want to be with you, and I know you want to be with me. I just need you to renounce this ridiculous virtuous perception of your virginity. Give in to your flesh, and your body will become what you truly desire."

"My body is okay as it is."

Said Leon embarrassed by the remark of the increasingly impatient jock.

"You know it isn't. All these years you have deceived yourself in thinking you value the brilliance of your mind when in reality it's what has alienated you from everyone. Relinquish that notion, and you shall have everything you desire."

The nerd looked at his friend nervously, completely unsure about what he wanted. He thought he was sure about who he was, but what Kevin said was true. What's the point of intelligence if all you need to be accepted is purely physical? Was brilliant wisdom worth the loneliness? While Leon dwelled in his thoughts, a shadow materialized on the corner behind him. What first looked like a black dog slowly grew into a human form, taking the appearance of an extremely muscular young man, his body full of scars. He planted his crimson red eyes on Kevin, who nodded in agreement as his face grew more sinister.

"I'll make it easy for you. Kiss me. If you do, I'll know you're ready to take the next step and leave your old self behind. You'll finally be better than anyone else, just like you wish. Be warned though, there will be no turning back."

Leon was then assaulted by all the painful memories of his past. The loneliness of growing up as an outcast, the abandonment of his parents, and the disconnection from everything and everyone started crushing him. He had an opportunity to have what he truly wanted, not what he convinced himself he wanted. Hypnotized by the jock's supernatural gaze, he approached his friend with determination. Standing on the tip of his feet, he placed his lips on his. Black smoke started enveloping them, completely encasing the entire balcony and isolating it from the world. Leon felt butterflies in his stomach, as the kiss continued to gain intensity. A scorching hot feeling started seeping into his being, product of Kevin's mouth. When he realized what he had done, it was too late. He was completely under the control of the handsome jock, who started to take on a dominant role, aggressively pushing his tongue into the nerd's mouth. The last thing he consciously realized was what that taste in Kevin's mouth was: blood.

Energy started seeping into Leon's body, slowly impregnating his being. He was lost in the intense feeling his connection with Kevin was causing. The waves of power-hitting his body started making his blood boil, turning his body into an incandescent mass. He was sweating profusely, as the energy coursing through his veins unleashed different chain reactions in his cells, resulting in a vastly increased metabolic rate. The fatty deposits inside of him started to melt away, vaporized to fuel the nerd's body's incredible energy demand. His pants fell, as the rest of the suit started to hang loosely from his body. The formerly chubby red-head was left practically only in skin and bones. Kevin broke the kiss and looked at what his friend had become. His green eyes were dull and lifeless, and his formerly round face was left looking severely malnourished. He smiled victorious, knowing the spell was doing its job. He needed the man in the back to complete the transference, so he called him forward to participate in the passionate scene.

Kevin took his finger, rubbing it on his friend's lips seductively, as the muscular man in the back slowly pushed down the shoulders of the now skinny nerd to the ground. In one swift motion, the handsome jock ripped his pants off his legs, exposing a menacing bulge that was quickly gaining size in front of Leon's entranced gaze.

"Is this what you wanted? To serve and pleasure me?"

Asked Kevin dominantly, looking down at his friend. Even though Leon was still watching everything going on, the sensations in his body were driving him like an automaton. A part of his consciousness still resisted, yelling desperately that he was better than what he was becoming, but it was slowly getting smaller as if it were burned away by the divine energy coursing through his veins. He answered in a stupefied voice, unable to resist the temptation

"Yes."

"Wrong answer."

Said Kevin fishing out his manhood from his briefs and putting it on the nerd's open mouth. The same metallic taste accompanied by other muskier aromas immediately assaulted Leon's senses. He licked and tasted the meaty tube inside of him, desperately worshipping it with his tongue. The scarred man behind him then pushed his head further into the jock's crotch, making him swallow the entire seven thick inches at once. Kevin then proceeded to drill inside his friend's mouth with aggressive thrusts back and forth. Each time the phallus penetrated the nerd's mouth, the pressure inside of him caused his bones to elongate. Each limb stretched several inches, along with his spine, leaving the nerd with over a foot and a half extra height. The hands holding the jock's legs cracked and grew, along with his formerly small feet. Once his skeleton stopped breaking, the scarred man pulled Leon to his feet, his pants staying on the floor. There was a fight between bliss and misery inside of him, causing a blast of emotions that quickly flooded his head. It was like his mind was inside a pressurized pot ready to explode.

"You are the one that has to be served and pleasured. You have to conquer fear."

Kevin lifted the now taller red-head with supernatural strength and flipped him around, exposing his naked rear. Leon fell forward, grabbing on to the scarred man to remain on his feet, and felt the scorching hot head of his friend's member rub menacingly on his crack. He desired him more than anything in the world, his carnal passion completely overtaking his puritanical nature.

"Once we finally break your mind, you'll be able to become the god you were chosen to be."

And with those last words, Kevin impaled his friend mercilessly, getting one last howl of agony out of the nerd. Leon felt as if a dam had broken inside his head, flooding his mind and washing his old self away. Kevin's thrusts started pumping more divine energy into the red-head, which traveled inside his body filling out his newfound emptiness. Pure pleasure caused him to moan loudly. His blood pumped new power into his whole body, causing his muscles to twitch and ripple responding to the strength. His glutes were the first part of his body to expand. The handsome jock's phallus was quickly being swallowed further by two inflating globes of muscle. It looked like he was humping a pair of overgrown watermelons. The growth spread down his legs, filling out his quads and hamstrings with thick columns of muscle, growing as thick as two oak trees. Deep cuts were etched painfully on them, the skin stretched to its limits over the massive muscles. His calves grew to match the upper legs, gaining enough size to rival a football. His feet expanded to accommodate the still coming weight.

The pumped energy seeped simultaneously into his core muscles. Veins started gaining thickness the more power flowed in them, changing the muscle underneath. His lower back took the form of a large spearhead, two pillars of muscle slowly crawling up his back. His lower abs popped into existence, framed by two increasingly large obliques. First two, then four, then six, and ending in eight grenade-sized bumps on his stomach. The muscular pillars on his back started flaring like two flags, spreading growth into the red-head's lat muscles. The suit's jacket couldn't resist the growth for long, shredding itself to pieces revealing the sweaty skin underneath. Kevin grabbed the growing back with lust, feeling the searing hot muscle underneath move and inflate. The man's lats spread wide like a fighter plane, the muscle fibers fighting to fit into the already large frame. Mountains and valleys decorated the expanse of the magnificent back before the thrusting jock.

His chest was the next to grow as if gravity was pulling the muscle downwards. Two massive slabs of flesh etched themselves in Leon's upper torso, increasing his weight and making him widen his stance to find his new balance. The inflating pecs rose higher too like they were trying to reach his chin, while the lower parts expanded themselves reaching the limit of the red-head's anatomy. Once the veins reached his shoulders, these exploded in growth, reaching the size of an ancient Grecian helmet. Divine blood pumped into his arms, his biceps swelling to the size of big cannonballs. His triceps expanded underneath his arms, quickly adding girth to the now powerful limbs, reaching the size of a Howitzer cannon. His lower arms etched themselves with strong sinews, growing as wide as baseball bats. His hands hardened and swelled with new strength, gaining the power to crush the hardest skull with ease.

Thick veins traveled up his neck, followed by thick muscle cords making it seem more like a bull's neck than a human's. Once his Adam's apple finished its transformation, his high moans of pleasure slowly turned into a low manly grunt. Muscle piled into the squaring jaw, giving him a cartoonishly hyper-masculine look. His cheekbones rose higher, and his nose grew and broke, filling in with thick tissue. His forehead expanded further, hooding his eyes and giving him a menacing look. Kevin accelerated the rhythm, reaching the mortal limits of his body.

"Taste true power brother, and take your place above those beings you always deemed inferior."

With one final thrust, he emptied his burning load into the titan in front of him. The divine seed seeped into every tissue, making his body gain even more thickness than before. The muscles gained the strength and prowess of the best warrior the world had ever seen. The essence then corrupted what was left of his being, turning him into a new deity. Blood flowed out of his pupils, forever turning the former green eyes to an intense crimson hue. A new personality engraved itself in his head, growing increasingly aggressive the more he became aware of his existence. His puritanical nature was replaced with an insatiable lust for flesh, either in sex or in battle. His enviable knowledge was replaced by a killer instinct that made him a fearsome foe for whoever was misfortunate enough to challenge him. Eons of battle techniques and combat prowess flourished inside of him, aging him into a man in his masculine prime. The former erudite was reborn in the form of the fiercest warrior in the world. And as such, his nature turned dominant, making him displeased about the situation he was in. He stood up, now much larger than the two other men next to him.

"That's more like it,” He said in a deep voice, flexing his new muscles. Kevin and the other man stared triumphantly at their creation, watching the giant relish in his raw strength. They both felt a psychic bond form with the titan, now that he gained dominion over them. The former Leon turned to face them, his glowing red eyes staring at the scarred man with lust.

"I'm still not quite there yet. Come, brother. It's your time to serve me."

He pushed the muscular man on the banister and grabbed his own still tiny penis. He could barely hold it with his massive hands, the 4 inches stuck out barely enough for his fingers to grab. With inhuman strength he pulled the muscular man's ass apart, exposing the coveted goal for his manhood. He managed to penetrate the scarred man, and another wave of pleasure assaulted him, making him roar in bliss. He started thrusting into the man with such force it started cracking the solid banister underneath. The lesser deity moaned delighted, as he felt the member inside of him grow further, pushing deeper into his body. The titan's phallus grew to heroic proportions, gaining almost 8 inches in length and resembling a thick torpedo. The balls slapping the man's muscular thighs expanded as well, dropping lower to bovine proportions. New hormones started pumping into the giant, altering its appearance even further. Kevin watched smiling as his red curls receded a bit on his head and turned pitch black, along with his eyebrows, which grew thick and arched themselves upwards. His face started taking on a more exotic look, his lips thickening and his nose growing a bit more. The black bubble around the fornicating gods started breaking, dark smoke seeping into every pore of the giant. His pale skin darkened to a light brown, and dark follicles started popping out of his entire body. His manly jaw was quickly covered by a shadow, which grew into a magnificent black beard. The hair was so thick the skin underneath was not visible. A carpet of black hair covered his body, growing thicker on his crotch and under his arms. He kept thrusting with increased fury, feeling his own divine seed churn in his balls. He was drenched in sweat, a manly aroma quickly surrounding him. He smelled like old iron, like burnt gunpowder, like a warrior in his prime. With a powerful roar, he exploded inside the scarred man, fully cementing his new birth as Assad, the king of war.

The scarred man dropped to the ground completely exhausted, leaving Assad standing naked under the crepuscular sky. The jock scanned the titan from top to bottom, savoring every aspect of the new god before him. Assad barely gave him a second look, his old knowledge and memories gone.

"Father will be very pleased."

"Indeed I am."

A bone-chilling voice came out of the shadows in front of them. Assad watched as the god of war emerged from the darkness in his full glory. Ares rarely smiled, but he couldn't help to curl his lips up a little bit once he saw his sons' creation. He was right in delegating his power and the transference to them. Assad immediately fell on one knee, bowing respectfully before his master.

"You bred it into a full warrior, well done."

Kevin just smiled solemnly, accepting the god's compliments. Ares suspected the chosen one had to renounce voluntarily to his virtue to achieve its fullest potential. That is why he let the natural lust do his task for him. He provided the essence; the rest came from the new champion.

"Ready to serve milord.” Said Assad without lifting his gaze.

"And you will. I gave you a new life as a descendant of humanity's most powerful warriors, and in exchange, I own you now. There's something I need you to do. If you succeed, you will be allowed to take a place next to me as a worthy god. I want you to destroy the goddess Athena."

Ares then took his spear and cut his arm open. Ichor fell to the ground, taking the shape of a golden sword. Assad took the weapon in his hand, feeling its power course through him. A shining bronze armor formed around his torso, along with a helmet and a red cape. Ares was satisfied by the look of his new pawn.

"Meet me in Greece, by the feet of Mount Olympus the night of the next full moon."

"Yes, milord. I won't fail you."

With a powerful kick of his legs, the giant leaped into the sky, disappearing in the red horizon. Ares approached the banister and stood next to his sons, watching his creation advance towards his destiny.

"You can get off that meat suit now, Phobos."

Kevin's face produced one last sinister smile, as a dark shadow stepped out of him, his body falling to the ground completely unconscious. The black mass took the form of another overly muscular scared man, identical to the one still laying on the ground.

"This was way too easy, father."

"Don't be arrogant. Influencing a mortal's free will is no easy task. It's different than just persuading them with fear, as you might know."

"I didn't have to do much. This mortal in particular had very strong feelings for the champion. I just had to break his self-control barrier a bit. And I admit I let him feel some of the pleasure too, although I'm sure Deimos there had way more enjoyment."

Ares stood silently staring into the sunset. He made sure he created the best warrior of them all. He proved that the virtues so dearly preached by his stuck-up sister were vulnerable to his raw strength. He chose to let the champion be corrupted by his own desire. This was going to be his opportunity to eclipse his siblings and get his father's acceptance. He looked at his son, able to see the beauty underneath the godling's intimidating appearance. Aphrodite's image came back to him, remembering the unbreakable bond both gods possessed. He wondered if she would be capable of moving against Zeus. The goddess of beauty was not to be underestimated, so Ares spared no effort in creating the best Champion he could to compete.

"So, you interfered with the mortal's love interest. Your mother wouldn't approve."

[mars-and-the-theoi]

Here’s my Phobos & Deimos playlist! There’s some similarities between theirs and their father’s playlist too!

[space-blue]

Who Criminals Pray To

Third competition win.

"Won't you stop shaking that fucking leg of yours?" Mike mutters behind ground teeth. "I'll cut it off if it bothers you that much."

"Look at that bunch of street punks," I whisper back without trying to bring my leg under control. "Just look at them, so little respect, no gravity."

"It's your damn job to groom the newbies Sean."

"I didn't make the timetable. Go figure why the boss felt like we should introduce them to the God this session. Certainly wasn't my idea."

"Can't blame the runts for being excited though. What kind of crazy rotten luck is it to be here same as the Dons of all people?"

"Want me to call them off?"

Mike chews on his lips, purple and split from a bout in whatever hovel he decided to cool his temper in this weekend. Being second in command in the Phobos family isn't exactly a relaxing job. Mike likes to go out with the grunts, rough up some locals late on payments or little dealers trying to cut corners. I find my own releases elsewhere.

"Nah. Good test of character, this."

I'm not so sure. I look up at our five new recruits, mingling with four counterparts of the Don family, jabbing fingers in puffed up chests and engaging in sharp banter. I assume many first met in the streets. All our new boys were urchins not even a year ago. I read their small, single-paged files, hastily written by the people in charge of them throughout our organisation. I talked to them, tried to educate them as much as I could, grinding rituals in their skulls. At the end of the day I don't think they really understand what we're doing here. After all, urchins have no God. Raised around the ovens of a small bakery, I was brought up pious. If object have spirits, places guardian gods, concepts emanations and trades patron saints, it only makes sense to know how to mind your manners and deal with the deities that rule your life. My mother taught me to keep household spirits happy before I could walk, and my father saved our nicest breads and pastries as offerings. He brought me with him whenever he went for donations. The God of bakers loved us like we loved him, and our dough rose high, our pastries stayed crisp and I never saw a mouse in the shop. When I went to school, I paid monthly tributes to the God of students and emanation of knowledge and curiosity. So when I became a gang member and joined the Phobos family, I paid just as scrupulous respects to the God of criminals. I understand the concept in a manner our former-urchins-turned-street-thugs can't. To them the God is a boss on top of the boss, too high up the hierarchy to care about them. But they're criminals now, and their success in that new line of business will depend on proper devotion.

"What is the boss doing?" I ask Mike for the tenth time this evening, not trying to hide the worry in my voice.

"Can't be long. The Dons are waiting too, see. Maybe Phobos is busy cutting that fat fuck's fingers right outside?"

Mike smiles lopsidedly at the images that conjures, but it's unlikely. You don't misbehave like that around your God's place. You're not late either. It goes without saying that you don't get in arguments or fist-fights in the ante-chamber, which I'm starting to worry our boys might have forgotten. I look up across the small waiting room to where another collection of rickety chairs hold equally anxious higher-ups from the Don family, also waiting on their boss so that the ceremony of Gift-giving and Induction can begin. There is Franky, the Don's son and right arm, and Tilda, a cold-eyed woman you really don't want to meet on the other side of a negotiation table. The man glancing back at me over his glasses is Charles Morrow, a fine fellow with a blade of a face who holds a similar position to mine in his own gang. He raises his eyebrows in silent acknowledgement. I close my eyes and sigh. Let's hope the God is in a forgiving mood.

A bang and a yelp snap me back to attention. Phobos slammed the door into the men and is storming through, a package under his arm and a puffing, angry red Erzo Don on his heels, still biting on the last words of whatever argument they were having. Each group folds over their boss and everyone pays last minute attention to the gifts they brought and the fine clothes they wear. Phobos is a tall man, sharp and well cut, just like the black suits he favours, and known as the coldest mobster on this coast. He exchanges quiet words with Mike, and pats my elbow briefly. The man's way of making up for the stress he knows he's been giving me. Activity dies down as a servant enters the room to unlock the inner chamber's doors. We shuffle to our positions by hierarchical order and I glance at my charges one last time.

"Remember, don't react, keep it all in!"

They nod, worry finally settling on their young faces as the solemnity of the event dawns on them. For such a bunch of misfits, they do me proud. All I can hear is sharp intakes of breath as their eyes fall on the deity who will soon learn their name and hold their fates in its heart. The God of transgression, patron saints of criminals and emanation of rule-breaking, looks like a child and a monster. Five years old if you had to put an age on it, with sandy blond hair parting around little horns that poke from its forehead and the crown of its head. Some are black and keratinous, some the off-white of ivory. Its skin is unhealthily pale, cheeks oddly flushed. Its pinched, lipless mouth betrays no feelings. But the real unease comes from the eyes. One dark and filled with odd lights, the other white and full of colourful swirls, both huge and sparkling, somehow. Alien. The child-like being sits on a large pillow atop a carpeted dais, its servants kneeling behind it. Like the building, they are paid for by donations, one of the many ways we show our love to the God.

"Greetings!" Don booms, stepping up to deliver his offering. "I present you with these gifts, my dea–"

Don's words die in his throat, silenced by a small hand, raised palm out.

"Erzo Don, what do you think you are doing here?"

The God's voice is high as a child's but its inflections are nuanced, its tone menacing.

"Well... We've come to presen–"

"You annoy me."

The pressure rises in the room and I feel goosebumps all over my skin. The God stands, face as blank as marble.

"I am the God of criminals, Don. I patron thieves, liars, racketeers, yes. People who live on the margins of the larger society. But if there is one thing I don't condone, it is lying to me."

The God steps down towards Don. I see the sweat drenching him, Morrow's bloodless face, Tilda's hand all white-knuckled around Frank's wrist and their new men's confused expressions. What have they done?

"You can't go and grovel to the God of killers and murderers thinking I wouldn't know about it. Did you not think of your family? Of me?"

"God, but it was only a sid–"

"Go."

Silence hangs over us like a corpse at the end of a fraying rope. There is nothing to do but to obey. One word that ends a whole family business, maybe a fifth of the local territory, suddenly up for dispute. Chaos will engulf them, they will have no divine support.

I'm still thinking of the consequences as the door closes behind the last of them and Phobos steps up, offering the content of his package like nothing happened. It's two hands sawed at the wrists and held together by handcuffs. Charming–and it makes the God smile. Mike is next, showing his split lips and telling his tales. The God nods along, used to the urban-outlaw-cowboy style of our second-in-command. And then it's me, embracing the being my success in life depends on. He's done me good and I love it like I loved the pudgy God that ate our bread and blessed us for it.

"What have you for me Sean?" The child-God asks as I cup its pallid face in my scarred hands.

"A secret," I murmur in its ear. "The cops are coming to crack on the riverside locations. I tipped them to great profit."

The God chuckles, looking up at me with the same adoration I feel for it. It squeezes my hand and waves for me to introduce our new members. What's a spy to the emanation of rule breaking? Nothing more than a good devotee.

~~ June 2017 – Theme : Gangsters and Crime Lords

[theladyoflove]

Newbie Devotee Challenge: Day 18

WE’RE COMING TOWARDS THE END! I realised this challenge will be completed just in time to begin Aphrodite April so AAAAAAAH

Day 18: More research! Today, research the deities that are either related to or close to your deity. Include family, friends, lovers, and enemies. Who is your deity closest to?

I have been reading this ancient texts for hours and they’re actually a lot easier to read than I thought they would be! I’m really enjoying having some harp music in the background while I read through these. I’m putting a read more so you don’t have to scroll for like 30 seconds to get past this post lol.

[WARNING: THIS IS LONG]

All of this information is thanks to theoi.com!

   Aphrodite’s first lover was Hesphaistos, a crippled god of blacksmiths and crafts. She was given to him as a prize for freeing this mother Hera from a golden thrown he has purposefully trapped her in, in resentment for his treatment as a baby (he was thrown off of the mountain of olympus by Hera and Zeus for his disabilities). There are some texts which show a loving nature between them such as this one:

   "Venus [Aphrodite] . . . spoke to her husband, Volcanos [Hephaistos], as they lay in their golden bed-chamber, breathing into the words all her divine allurement [persuading him to forge armour for her son Aeneas in Latium] . . . Since Volcanos [Hephaistos] complied not at once, the goddess softly embraced him in snowdrift arms, caressing him here and there. Of a sudden he caught the familiar spark and felt the old warmth darting into his marrow, coursing right though his body, melting him; just as it often happens a thunderclap starts a flaming rent which ladders the dark cloud, a quivering streak of fire. Pleased with her wiles and aware of her beauty, Venus [Aphrodite] could feel them taking effect. Volcanus [Hephaistos], in love's undying thrall [conceded to her requests] . . . Thus saying, he gave his wife the love he was aching to give her; then he sank into soothing sleep, relaxed upon her breast."

   Reading this made my heart feel so warm, and it made me feel like at one point they did care about one another. However, after Hesphaistos finds out his wife was sleeping with Ares he demanded a divorce (not before quite amazingly and funnily shaming the lovers).

   Her next lover was obviously Ares, who she is later on in the Iliad said to be the consort of, which assumes they were married. To him she bore Phobos, Deimos, Harmonia and Eros. I really love the pairing honestly. Two forms of passion, love and anger, makes for such a dynamic and beautifully destructive relationship! I feel with Ares she is the most happy and loved compared to all her other affairs.

   During a one on one duel with Athene, Ares is badly injured and Aphrodite comes down to rescue him:

“...But taking Ares by the hand the daughter of Zeus, Aphrodite, led him away, groaning always, his strength scarce gathered back into him.”

  Which I think is extremely sweet of her to put herself in the way of the most deadly (and most favoured) goddess in order to protect her lover. Later on in this text it also calls her, “ ...Aphrodite glorious-crowned, the Bride of [Ares] the strong War-god...”

   Her next lover in the sources is Hermes, who famously bore him Hermaphroditus. Hermes fell in love with Aphrodite’s beauty (who wouldn’t), and advanced onto her, to which she rejected. Zeus, witnissing this, pitied him. He sent an eagle to steal one of Aphrodite’s sandals and give it to hermes. In return for her sandal she agreed to sleep with him.

A source to the short translated texts here

   The next lover is... not really a lover. It details the attempted unconsensual encounter of Zeus. (I don’t want to use the other more blatant word because I know how strong it can feel to read that. But keep in mind, in ancient greece “r*pe” meant anything from out of wedlock, consensual sex to kidnapping.)

"Wild his [Zeus'] desire had been for Kypris [Aphrodite], when craving but not attaining he scattered his seed on the ground, and shot out the hot foam of love self-sown, where in the fruitful land horned Kypros flourished the two-coloured generation of wild creatures (pheres) with horns [Kentauroi (Centaurs)]."

  Later on, Aphrodite sleeps with Zeus out of her out own volition. From him she bore the god Priapos. A god made ugly by the curse of Hera, Zeus’ second wife. Aphrodite hurled her hideious child onto a moutain where he was found by a sheppard, who claimed the child had genitals growing from his behind.

I can’t go through all the lovers but I’ll list the rest here and the children she bore them:

DIONYSUS - bore no children (though some texts say Priapos is their child). POSEIDON - bore him Rhodos and Herophilos. NERITIES - bore no children. ADONIS - bore him Beroe. ANKHISES - bore him Aeneas and Lyros. BOUTES - bore him Eryx PHAON - bore no children. PHAETHON - bore him Astynoos

   The true story of Aphrodite’s birth is something that’s very confusing and the majority of mytho-nerds and hp’s alike have come to agree-to-disagree on which one if her main birth story.

Aphrodite Ourania is the Aphrodite who is said to have been born from the severed gentials of Ouranous. This is personally the one I am in favour of because I enjoy the idea of Aphrodite being above even the king of the gods in terms of kin. That love comes before all.

Aphrodite Pandemos is given the birth story of being the daughter of Zeus and the Titaness Dione, this story also gave her the epithets Aphrodite Diôniaia and Aphrodte Dios thugatêr

   Now there is another text which states: “... he [Ouranos] also was the father of Mercury (Hermes) by Dia, and of Venus by Hemera.” However in the same text it also says: “ Out of the drops of his blood sprang the Gigantes, the Melian nymphs, and according to some, Silenus, and from the foam gathering around his limbs in the sea, sprang Aphrodite” So I’m not sure if this one can be completely trusted.

  Aphrodite also has SO many people she has scorned and punished. So I also wont be able to go into detail on all of them or even give a brief description, but here are a small few:

MENELAOS - who had promised the goddess a hundred cattle heads for her blessings to wed Helene. However, when he did not keep his end of the promise, she enloped his wife with Troy.

THE SIX SONS OF POESIDON - Aphrodite attempted to seek refuge on their island after birthing from the ocean. They drove her away and as punishment gave them unheathy sexual drives which lead to their deaths.

EOS - As punishment for sleeping with Aphrodite’s lover Ares, she cursed Eos to have an unquenchable thurst for younger men.

PSYKHE - Originally to be punished for her beauty, she was destined to fall in love with the most horrible beast. But her son wounded himself with his own arrow and carried her away to be his secret bride. When she betrays his trust by gazing upon his face, Aphrodite gives her many seemingly impossible tasks which she succeeds all. In the end Aphrodite accepts Psykhe as her daughter in law and she marries her lover.

MAN THIS TOOK FOREVER BUT IT WAS SO MUCH FUN! I felt an overwhelming feeling of calm and joy and I think Aphrodite is very happy that I took so much time out of my day to read about her myths!

[doomedandstoned]

Celophys Scorch the Earth with 4th LP, ‘Fried Chordata’

~Doomed & Stoned Debuts~

I chuckled when I saw the album title for the latest effort by CELOPHYS, 'Fried Chordata' (2019). When I heard the first track, my smile turned to more of a look of shock. "Anunnaki" shook the walls as fatefully as the legendary Sumerian gods of old. In the words of the holy writ, "There were giants in those days." Yes, and you can hear them shaking the ground as they step through their domain, crying out with premonition like a lumbering sauropod that the end of the age is near, but vowing to return. Certainly, the album cover suggests the Cherkasy-based sludge slingers are giving Conan and Primitive Man a run for their money!

The hammering didn't stop there. "Fucked Up" opens with a quote from the first season of Deadwood. I couldn't help but chuckle at the frustrated exchange Al Swearengen and Mister Wu in this tense clash of cultures: "Who stole the fucking dope!?” "C***sucker!!!" "Listen. Listen! I. find. c***suckers. I find dope and c***suckers who steal fucking dope, huh?" A reminder that the opium epidemic has long been with us. The mood matches the set-up, with a up-tempo, mud-stomping sesh frantically searching for those who've fucked up our plans...and settle the score. Midway, the song slows to a simmer as the we rage, "Where is my dope?"

"Papaver" gives us a nice groovy change of pace, with the poppy flower is working its magic. This hymn to the high would make a fitting companion to Eyehategod's "Southern Discomfort," I suspect. The song later alludes to the problem of heroin, indicating that it's not all bright colored petals and warm, sleepy vibes, but an addiction that has lain waste to the best and brightest of souls.

The album isn't just about drugs, of course. We're covering lots of ground in this six-song spin. "False Lizard and Yeti," perhaps the inspiration behind the album's artwork by Viktor Absrud, contrasts old world with new, as the conquering instinct of mankind to subdue all before it traces roots back to the Darwinian quest for survival at all costs.

"Magicae Mammuthus" is the longest track of the record (11:37) and seems to imply something about the emergence of the dark arts as human cranial capacity evolved and we awakened to the mysterious wonder of those majestic, god-tier creatures around us. It is here I'm also reminded (once again) that Celophys is just two dudes.   I've been at Year of the Cobra shows where Amy Tung-Barrysmith shut down half a bar's electricity (three times over!) with the power of her bass over Sunn amps. I can only imagine the damage that Miroslav Kopiika (bass guitar) and Alexander Beregovoy (drums, vox) would do to a venue of similar size. Perhaps only the big stage is equipped to handle the sheer wattage the Celophys sound must muster live.

On to the finale: "Prehistoric Barn." More a barn-buster than a barn-stomer, It is here we reconnect with the band's great love of paleontology and the mighty creatures that once were the planet's sole point of reference to the weight, force, and power of doom metal. The song takes time to contemplate with the dank, downtuned strum of Miroslav's notes, introducing a dirge that moves as low and slow a Brachiosaur. It's a spectacular finish to Fried Chordata, releasing Friday, April 5th via Robustfellow (pre-order here).

You'll not find a fiercer album than this for miles (or kilometers, for my non-American readers). Fans of behemoths like Slomatics, Bongripper, Reptile Master, or the recent ex-Tombstones project SAVER should be all over this -- and panic at the thought they might have missed three previous records from the Ukrainian pain-makers. A fitting follow-up to Celophys' Ammonite, indeed.

Give ear...

Fried Chordata by Celophys

Some Buzz

Robustfellow is to release the fourth LP of Ukraine’s uncompromising sludge metallers Celophys. Having an excellent track-record of robust releases (their second LP was released in 2013 via Emetic Records famous for working with sludge icons and the third one was released by Robustfellow Prods. in 2015), with their new effort, the crushing duo reminds us once again how sludge should sound like.

The added speed and aggression show the progression of the outfit and the absence of bass guitar doesn’t stop the band from creating a thick, ear-bleed aggressive sound bound to make a mark in the sonic history. Continuing to mix paleontology with weed-smoking, the distinctiveness of the band’s style becomes even more evident on ‘Fried Chordata.’ There’s no reason why a sludge devotee should skip this!

Ammonite by Celophys

The release will be available as an MC, featuring Robustfellow’s special approach to physical formats, and a digital download on the 5th of April. Celophys is a sludge metal band from Cherkassy, Ukraine. The first album Triassic Desert released in 2012 was recorded as a three-piece, but shortly after it the outfit morphed into a duo led by the founder/drummer/singer Alexander Beregovoy and guitarist Miroslav Kopeyka. This line-up recorded three more albums, namely ‘Phobos Elevator’ (2013, released via Emetic Records, which is famous for working with Eyehategod, Buzzov•en, Bongripper, Crowbar and other icons of sludge), ‘Ammonite’ (2015) and the freshly baked ‘Fried Chordata’ (2019).

Phobos Elevator (LP) by Celophys

The band covers an unusual array of topics which includes paleontology (you can find the reflection in the artworks), outer space, 420 and personal experiences. Musically, Celophys is mainly based in the sludge metal style with additions of death, hardcore, doom and stoner elements. Their signature sound doesn’t allow us to forget how the sludge should sound like. Fourth album Ukraine’s uncompromising sludge metallers Celophys. Having an excellent track-record of robust releases (their second LP was released in 2013 via Emetic Records famous for working with sludge icons and the third "Ammonite" was released by Robustfellow Prods. in 2015), with their new effort, the crushing duo reminds us once again how sludge should sound like.

Triassic Desert by Celophys

Follow The Band

Get Their Music

[poorbrokemess]

Zuse finally got to me 😅

I'll confess I've been slightly..... ignoring him. While also, doing things to honor him.

Yesterday during Mabon I had realized I didn't even have a candle for him.

Which meant, he wasn't *invited* technically.

Yet. Today was probably the best day I've had in. Well. A very long time.

As if he said *Who are you, a mear mortal, to ignore me, the King of the God's? While giving crowns to lesser Kings. I Zuse King, see how mighty I am.*

Storms started not long after I realized he didn't even have a candle. Persisted all throughout the day on and off.

It was a glorious day.

This time I did clarification all throughout the day. And every time Zuse. Plus like, every single thing about him everywhere lol.

Look at the magic

Glorious day.

Had to completely redo the upper alter. Because King. Lol

That Green candle for Loki?

Pure miracle.

They, until now apparently, only made the 44oz. Candles in primary colors. So no green. I'd been working to melt one down for the jar and make him one. Even bought all the stuff. My OCD however gets upset about low candles..... so I never finish one enough to make him one.

Then today. I was there just yesterday mind you. Today, there it they are. Big Green candles.

I actually shouted out when I saw it.

That's not to mention I saw 2 what I originally thought were crows, but I do belive were ravens today. The flowers. All of it.

Loki is STOKED about the candle. He's been bouncing all night.

Even Hephaestus got a big Candle(hand me down).

Today.

Was a gift.

A miracle to be honest.

All the love and thanks to the gods for it.

Zuse and Apollo today especially.

♥️

[ncnducorduco]

OURANIA CYPRIS called into ORACLE FM. They were a little bit - AUDACIOUS & - HUBRISTIC at first, but we kept them talking until they got a little + IMPASSIONED & + ROMANTIC.  They said they’ve been working as A SOCIALITE, and thinking about aligning themselves with THE OLYMPIANS since they have been living in Nova Satus for FIFTY YEARS, and from what we can tell, they still give off huge FROTHING SEA FOAM, OPALS REFLECTING EVERY COLOR OF THE RAINBOW, AND THE TENDER FEROCITY OF WOMANHOOD vibes . [ HANDE ERĆEL, GREEK GODDESS APHRODITE, CIS FEMALE, UNKNOWN, SHE/HER ] @revivalreblogs

SHE WHO HAS MANY NAMES

𝒐𝒖𝒓𝒂𝒏𝒊𝒂 heavenly / 𝒂𝒍𝒊𝒈𝒆𝒏𝒂 sea born / 𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒊𝒂 warlike / 𝒌𝒉𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒆 golden / 𝒑𝒉𝒊𝒍𝒐𝒎𝒎𝒆𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒔 smile loving / 𝒑𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒑𝒉𝒂𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒂 the far-shining / 𝒆𝒑𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒉𝒊𝒂 she who turns to love / 𝒂𝒎𝒃𝒐𝒍𝒐𝒈𝒆𝒓𝒂 she who postpones old age / 𝒏𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒑𝒉𝒐𝒓𝒐𝒔 bringer of victory / 𝒑𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒎𝒐𝒔 of all people / 𝒑𝒆𝒊𝒕𝒉𝒐 persuasion / 𝒔𝒚𝒎𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒉𝒊𝒂 ally in love / 𝒂𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒉𝒊𝒂 averter of unlawful desires

WRITTEN ACROSS HISTORY

( tw violence, gore )

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝑫𝒐 𝑵𝒐𝒕 𝑼𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑳𝒐𝒗𝒆.

Many millennia ago, on the eve that Kronos struck his father Ouranos, slicing him into pieces scattered across the lands, was the day Aphrodite came to be. Birthed from the castrated genital of Father Sky, cast upon into the oceans, she rose from the sea foam as an embodiment of love and beauty. The sea brought her to the land of Cyprus, flowers grew beneath her feat as she walked along the island coast with her twin sons Eros and Himeros, whom she came to be bearing.

When the Goddess entered Olympus to face the assembly of the gods, they were all stuck by admiration and love for her, her beauty instigating desire to have her for themselves. Zeus afraid that war would break out among the gods decided to marry her to his son Hephaestus, despite the fact that her affections lay elsewhere. Through the course of their marriage Aphrodite both loved and resisted her husband, for he embodied the constrains put on her.

For the Goddess was never meant to belong to any one person. Of all her lovers, her dearest was always Ares for he understood her in a way no one else ever could. Her children Deimos, Phobos, Harmonia, Adrestia, and Anteros were a product of their love. Other divine lovers of the Goddess include, Poseidon with whom she had Rhode, and Herophilos. And Dionysus with whom she had Priapus and Iakkhos. As well as Hermes with whom she had Hermaphroditus and Tyche. Of her mortals lovers, the two most notable are Adonis with whom she bore Beroe, Anchises with whom she had Ankhises. As well as her son Astynoos by Phaethon, and her son Eryx by Boutes.

Over the course of the centuries as the Greek Deities were forgotten of, nothing was a more permanent fixation across the world than the raw and vital emotion she holds domain over, love. For a period of time when monotheism and realism spread throughout the world, there were fewer people who looked to her for guidance when embarking on new beginnings, or in spite when those beginnings were long behind them and their hearts turned. She spent centuries in self indulgence, and the new found freedom that came with being forgotten, though it was not without some sorrow at times. Surprisingly now in the modern world there are now many who look to the Goddess for inspiration, the romantics, the feminists, and those suffering in love most of all among others and it’s made her long for things as they used to be once again. It is due to this new generation of devotees that Aphrodite is among the first to feel astray, and so she was among the first to answer the call of the new Oracle.

𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒚 𝑵𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒍.

THE DICHOTOMY OF STRENGTH & WEAKNESS

POWERS & ABILITIES

Transcendent Physiology

Beauty Deity, Fertility Deity, Love Deity, Nature Deity (minor) and Sex Deity

Divine Object (Girdle)

Ocean Manipulation (limited)

WEAKNESSES

Ares, Aeneas, Adonis, and Harmonia 

Pride and vanity

Temper and enmity

Lack of worship 

Curses and blessings can be negated or cured under the right circumstances.

Blessings can only be given following proper rituals/prayers.

Bound by her word/promises

Can not excessively meddle with the strings of fate, only attempt to change their path.

Without her Gridle in which she infused some of her power she is further weakened

graphic psd by castorbytes