Chapter Two

Ares’ Island
Greece

You take it on faith
You take it to the heart
The waiting is the hardest part
The Waiting
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers
 
Even for an Olympian ten years was a long time to be in exile.  Ares spent almost all of his time alone on his island brooding and hoping for the day his Daughter would come to him and tell him that he was once again welcome to Altair Ain but that yet to happen.  Very often, almost daily and some times twice a day in fact, Ares used his powers to peek in on that happenings in Calla's kingdom.  He watched his Grandchildren and now his Great-Grandchildren grow and flourish from a distance aching to be part of their lives but keeping his promise and his distance. He wanted nothing more than to get to know the new members of his family but that did not happen. 

The only contact he had with his family were sporadic visits with Athena who was brought to the island by Nicholas who stood guard over the little girl as though Ares were going to cook her up at any second and have her for dinner.  While the visits had gotten a little longer over the years they were always too short for him.  He missed Athena when she was gone but kept his promise and his distance as he watched her grow into a fine young lady with the guidance of her Mother.  Never once did Nicholas tell him how his Mother was or discuss the goings-on in Altair Ain with his Grandfather. In fact, Nicholas hardly spoke to him at all, he only stood there watching making sure Athena was guarded and Ares was quite certain that if he tried anything, such as keeping the girl, Nicholas would give him a battle that Ares might not win.  The worst times for him were when Athena left the island. The silence after her laughter filled his ears was unbearable. Sometimes he wished Calla didn’t send Athena at all because of the loneliness it left him with when she was gone.

Ares had lost everything and had no idea of how to regain it.  Most days he thought he’d be better off if Jackson had killed him at least if he was dead he wouldn’t have to feel the aching hollowness of his life.  This was no way for an Olympian to live.

Calla.  He watched her grow and evolve into a true Olympian Queen he only wished he could tell her how proud he was of her and the way she took care of her people and ran her kingdom not with an iron fist but a graceful loving hand.  He could never do that.  For years he watched them but lately he stopped using his powers and the mirror to peer into their lives.  It stopped making him happy and now only made him more depressed. Athena had only come to visit for a short time once this year.  Ares had hoped Calla was warming to him but it seemed he was wrong.
 
Life on the island was lonely with only occasional visits from Hades and Morpheus for company. They would tell him of the comings and goings in Calla’s kingdom. Ares found it difficult to stop feeling resentful that his Cousin and his Uncles should be welcome where he was not.  Ares spent some of his time in Athens and some in Sparta but did not venture far beyond those places.  He smoked and drank in the local bars and nightclubs engaging in several fist fights he started because he'd nothing better to do. Ares picked up a few women here and there but had never sought to put his harem back together.  Sex had become altogether unsatisfying for the Old Wolf and instead it was simply the company of the women he sought rather than their bodies. 

The once strong and proud God of War now lived in almost complete solitude on his island spending his time engaged in the thrill of the hunting wild game that he hardly ate. The lower levels of his cave were stocked to the ceiling with crates of ambrosia and casks of nectar which he hardly ever drank. Each day that went by Ares found he was sinking deeper and deeper into the abyss of depression finding that his one virile and nearly insatiable appetite for life was just as lacking his appetite for food and drink. He was growing weary and restless biding his time here waiting for his Daughter to come to her senses. Ares was beginning to wonder if Jackson ever intended to make good on his promise to allow Ares back into the kingdom when Calla was ready to have him in her life again. Surely she was ready by now.  Often when Ares peeked into their lives he would see her standing on her balcony gazing out at the horizon and he just knew she was thinking of him.  It was the sad look on her face and the loneliness in her eyes.  A Daughter, no matter how old she came to be, always needed the love of her Father.  Certainly Ares needed the love of his Daughter in his life.

Sitting slumped on his throne in the emptiness of his cave the God of War let out a heavy sigh that echoed off the rock walls and to his own lonely ears.  Without warning the hairs on the back of his neck and his arms stood up, he didn’t bother to raise his eyes when Hades appeared in the room.

“Really Ares, I hate to see you this way.”

“How long have you been spying on me?” Ares growled without any heart.

“Long enough,” Hades returned in a flippant manner.  “You need to get out and do something sitting here like this isn’t doing you any good and it isn’t getting you any closer to Calla.”

“Where should I go and what should I do?” Ares scoffed and raised his head to meet his Uncle’s gaze.

Hades long suspected Ares was playing some time of game these past two or three years in his reclusive behavior.  That perhaps he was trying to gain their sympathy or more importantly Calla’s but as the years went by and Ares showed no signs of pretending or coming around the other Olympians started to worry.  Looking at him now Hades could clearly see the fire had gone out in those onyx eyes.  “I don’t know go start a skirmish somewhere.” Hades suggested. “You’re good at that and I could use the business anyway.”

“Bah,” Ares huffed and slumping further back on his throne. “They don’t need my help to kill each other. Idiots, they’re not worth my time.”

The God of Death shook his head and then sat at the table which was usually held a bowl of fresh fruit and other food but now was empty and laden only with a heavy coating of dust.  Ares had lost that glow to his skin and now was on the verge of being ashen.  If Hades didn’t miss his guess Ares no longer worked out as his arms did not appear to be as large as they once had.  It was possible he was skipping more than a few meals and might have lost so much as fifty pounds.  “Well you have to do something,” Hades said quietly.  “When’s the last time you lifted stones?”

Ares snarled at the implication and looked down at his arms.  “A long time.”  The God of War once had a rather strict routine that followed in order to keep his massive body in tip-top condition but it had been several months since he’d run the beach or lifted boulders under the hot sun.  Other than to hunt Ares didn’t do much besides sit on his throne waiting for his term of exile to end.  “What do you want, Hades?”

Down to business.  “You are aware that Jackson and Nicholas left the planet this morning, aren’t you?”

That got Ares’ attention and he sat forward. “What are you talking about?”

“Oh,” Hades chimed, “I see, well I just assumed that with your, “he tilted his head upward and pointed to the gigantic stone hearth, “your little mirror there, I thought you knew.”  Hades returned him stare to his Nephew. “I never knew you had a penchant for mirrors like your Father did.”

“Don’t play games with me,” Ares growled and this time there was a little heart in it.  “You know I stopped using it. It brought me no pleasure to gaze upon things I cannot have and people who do not want my company.”

“Ah, I see so then the fact that Calla is alone now is of no interest to you.”

“Has David returned?”

“No,” Hades sighed, “no one’s heard a peep out of him in nearly a year or more.”

“Where have they gone?”

“Some planet….Sengul I believe was the name. Know it?”

“Never heard of it.  How long?”

“I don’t know but maybe it’s possible your time in exile will end soon.” Hades encouraged with a strange lilt in his voice.

“Why?”

“Without her Husband, her Son or her would-have-been Lover, who has she to turn to but her Father?  We both knew she’ll break down if they’re gone too long.”

Ares eased back on the throne and threw one tree-trunk sized leg over the arm.  “She will not, she is stronger than that now.” Still the idea did present a tempting opportunity.

“If you insist.” Hades replied easily and rose to his feet. “I just thought I’d pass that information along to you.  Why you don’t go start that skirmish I really could use the business all of this Love and Light she’s spreading into the world…” he waved a black gloved hand in the air and sighed.

“People not killing each other as readily at the moment?” Ares sneered and almost smiled knowing that for the first time in the history of Planet Earth no one was at war not even within their own countries.  Violence and ill-temperament hadn’t disappeared completely from the Earth, that was feat even the most Divine of Gods could never pull off.  People still got into arguments and they still stabbed or shot each other one-on-one just as they’d done since Time began but on the grander scale things were considerably more peaceful. Not a single bomb had been dropped, rocket shot or building blown up since shortly after Altair Ain began in earnest.  It seemed countries had discovered that talking was a better option than killing when it came to settling their differences. So then, it was no wonder that Hades wasn’t doing as much ‘business’ as he once had. “I’ll see what I can do to help you out.”  Ares rolled his dark eyes let out a huffing sigh as if should care about such a thing.

“Sure you will,” Hades snickered, “you of all people I would think would understand this predicament.”

“What predicament is that?” Ares snarled but he already knew the answer he just wanted to hear Hades say it. Instead of replying Hades stood up and walked toward Ares. He leaned in closer and reached out to touch him. “Get your hands away from me you death monger!”

“Death monger? And what are you?” Hades said in an accusatory voice.

“I’m a warrior.” Ares countered. “There’s a difference.”

“A warrior with no war to fight and no battle to engage in is hardly a warrior.”  He leaned in a little closer and took a hard look at his Nephew.  “It’s killing you, isn’t it?  Literally I mean.” Before Ares could stop him Hades reached out and touched Ares’ head pulling from it a gray hair among many.  “You look more like Zeus every day.  Soon you’ll be the spitting image of him if this keeps up.” He let the strand of gray hair fall to the floor of the cave. “Everything including Death and War exist for a reason, my dear Nephew.”  He watched Ares purse his lips and nod his head just the slightest bit.  “Upsetting the balance isn’t good for anyone least of all you and I.  Nothing grows in a stagnant environment, Ares, isn’t that one of your big lessons?” Hades shot not liking the snide look on Ares’ face. “Souls are finite, without Death there can be no Life. Without War Peace is meaningless.  It seems your Daughter doesn’t understand this.”

“I think she does.” Ares countered.  “What’s wrong with a little Peace?  Hasn’t the world earned it by now?”

“That can’t be Ares talking….who are you?” Hades chided as he peered even closer into Ares’ eyes. “Too much of a good thing is not a good thing. Unlike the blood thirst of men, Souls are finite. They are a precious commodity.  When so few remain in the Underworld that rebirth is nearly impossible what will become of the future of this world?”

“Men die.” Ares argued. “Mortals die of their own accord every day whether they kill each other in war, in an alley or drop dead of some defect they die.” He charged. “Your business cannot be as bad as you’re trying to make me believe.”

“If this keeps up it will be. So, if I were you, I’d keep that mirror warmed up.”  Hades advised.

“Why? What are you up to? What have you done, Hades? If you bring misery into Calla’s life there will be no place you can hide from me and I swear it will not belong before the Underworld has a new King.” Ares threatened remembering Bacchus and his hare-brained idea. Ares never should have gone along with him if he hadn’t he wouldn’t be stuck here in exile.

“You I suppose? You’re going to kill me? Why?”  Hades sniffed and held his gloved hands out for his own view while he adjusted the fingers of the gloves in a very persnickety manner.  Then he looked up once more.  “I would think that in a very short time you are going to owe me a large debt. I’m sure you’ll see it that way.”

“Hades,” Ares’ eyes began to come to life as he stood up, ”I’m warning you…”

“Um, death, destruction, dismemberment and so forth.” He said in a jaunty tone. “We’ll see.” Hades vanished from Ares’ sight.

Ares slumped on his throne and let out a loud growl.  If Hades got him into more hot water with Calla then yes people would be referring to him as Ares Lord of the Underworld and Hades would be banished to Oblivion.

End of Chapter Two
Coming Out of Exile: The Strength of a Father's Love
by Moon Mistress
a/k/a Lisa Beth Darling
Go to
Chapter Three