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He is the King of the Gods.
He is the son he cast out.
One rules Olympus with absolute power.
The other defied him… and survived.
For the first time, they speak—together.
I expected to get both sides of their story.
Instead, I was greeted with immediate confrontation.
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ARES vs. ZEUS — An Interview with the Gods
Gods do not grant audiences without purpose, yet I was unprepared for what came from this one.
There are places in this world—and beyond it—where mortals do not belong.
The throne room of Zeus is one of them.
Forged in gold and thunder, suspended high above Olympus, it is a place where power is not spoken of… it is felt. The air itself hums with it. Lightning coils through the vaulted heavens beyond the open colonnades, answering to the will of the god who sits at its center.
And today, for reasons I am still not entirely certain were wise, I was invited inside.
Not to witness.
Not to observe.
But to ask questions.
Of Zeus, King of the Gods.
And of Ares… the son he cast out.
Interviewer: Thank you both for agreeing to this conversation.
Zeus:
What choice did I have? After your last interview with him?
Ares: (chuckles)
Did I unnerve you, father?
Interviewer: (We’ve barely begun and I am uncomfortable as I sit between them.)
Let’s begin with power.
Zeus, you rule Olympus and command the sky itself.
What does true power mean to you?
Zeus:
Absolute power is mine by birth.
It is my right to shape the world …however I see fit.
Ares:
Your ego is astounding.
Interviewer: Ares, your father commands thunder and kings.
What does true power mean to you?
Ares:
When I was young, I thought power meant control—imposing your will on those weaker than you.
I’ve grown… unlike my father.
Wisdom has taught me that true power lies in knowing when not to use it.
Interviewer: Zeus, you exiled your own son for murder.
Do you still believe that judgment was just?
Zeus:
Justice is not something imposed solely upon mortals.
My son is dangerous, bloodthirsty, and hot headed.
Ares pushed Psyche from the top of Eros’ tower causing her death.
Ares:
I never touched Psyche. You never had any proof otherwise.
Zeus:
Apollo was an eyewitness to what you did. It was his testimony that resulted in your exile.
Ares: (sneering openly at Zeus)
Apollo lied. That’s why you didn’t kill me and instead you sent me into exile.
There was no proof beyond the drivel that slipped out of his golden mouth.
Zeus:
You’ve always hated your brother.
Ares:
The feeling is mutual.
Interviewer: Zeus, when you became aware of Alena’s presence on Ares’ island, why did you send Apollo to bring her to Olympus while Ares was away?
Zeus:
The mud-blooded Fey knew who killed Artemis. I wanted justice for my daughter—murdered in the Celtic lands.
I believed Alena would yield to Apollo’s… natural charm.
Once she arrived… I would have chained her.
Ares:
Justice? When I finally returned to Olympus with the battered body of my sister in my arms you accused me of killing her. I was the one who searched for Artemis for years.
Not you.
You sat here in your Golden Palace…doing nothing but barking orders.
Interviewer:
Ares, why did you protect Alena? Why not just let Zeus and the Olympians have her? She didn’t mean much to you at the time, did she?
Ares:
At first?
I wanted the best of both worlds. Don’t we all? But quickly it became apparent my father was up to something, he always is.
It’s never good.
Zeus:
So you slept with her just hours before you arrived in the Council Chamber.
Ares:
I had no intentions of letting you keep her, father.
Sleeping with her, while utterly enjoyable, was my leverage to ensure she left Olympus in one piece…with me where she belongs.
Interviewer: (The tension in the room thickens. Even the air feels charged. Although I am uncertain if I should venture my next question, I gather myself and push forward despite Zeus’ icy stare and Ares’ fiery eyes upon me.)
Ares, Let’s talk about Raven, your son. I understand that, because Raven’s mother is a fey…
Zeus:
… A mud-blooded Fey! She’s an abomination. Part Fey, Part human, and part…. (shoots Ares a heated look)…who knows what? Fey only exist to serve Olympians.
Ares:
That is not true, father. Just because the Fey race was created by Titans doesn’t make them slaves to Olympus. You’re still angry because they bested you when they threw their coup and nearly brought down Olympus fighting for their freedom.
Interviewer: Gentlemen, please, let’s get back on track. Zeus, did you refuse to accept Raven, your grandson, simply because of his mixed blood? Or was it something more?
Ares:
His hatred for me.
Zeus:
What is there to like about you when you reflect so poorly on me? (holds up an aged hand to silence his son before Ares can reply.)
Not just anyone can be an Olympian.
Raven had to prove his mettle before he could take his place as God of the Damned.
Interviewer: Final question. If the choice came down to it…Zeus, would you destroy the world to preserve Olympus?
Zeus:
The mortal world turned its back on Olympus a long time ago. Should it burn, it’s of no consequence to Olympus.
Or to me.
Interviewer: Ares…If the choice came down to it… would you destroy Olympus to protect the world?
Ares:(smiles)
Once, Olympus was glorious, today it is crumbling.
So many centuries of infighting. Backstabbing. Decay.
Who would want to save that?
If the mortal world should burn, Olympus should be afraid of the flames.
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When the final question faded, neither Father nor Son moved to rise.
Zeus remained upon his golden throne, lightning still dancing lazily between his fingers, his icy gaze distant—as though the fate of worlds was already decided.
Across from him, Ares sat unmoved, unbowed, the faintest trace of a smile lingering on his ruggedly handsome face. Not one of amusement… but of a dark promise he intends to keep.
I was dismissed without ceremony.
No decree. No final word.
Only the quiet, suffocating understanding that whatever exists between these two forces—father and son, king and exile—is far from over.
And when it finally breaks…
It will not be Olympus alone that feels the repercussion.
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The story of Ares, Alena, and Raven unfolds in the For the LOVE of WAR saga—an epic dark fantasy romance of gods, prophecy, passion…without apology.
Begin the journey with Book One: The Heart of War.
🏅 2023 Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal Winner “Epic, dark, and addictive.”
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Lisa Beth Darling 