The God They Saw

Ares sat on edge of his bed looking past his open balcony. Cool breeze enveloped him as a look of deliberation clouded his red eyes.

"Powerful", a whisper escaped his lips unconsciously. Respect was evident in his tone.

Since the moment Ares picked a weapon he had been better than everyone else, even full-fledged Gods were forced to take a knee and the fact he possessed the Aberration factor only further cemented the fact he will surpass the Elder Gods with the level of Thanatos, Triton and the like but also the Trinity.

But for the very first time, he doubted that he could not beat someone, which he considered impossible due to his special power. With that power given enough time he could theoretically beat any God below the realm of the Primordials. But he felt against Hades it would not be enough.

He would have to be an Aberration to have a shot at victory but Ares can't do that. And from what he gathered from the conjectures provided by Athena Hades was at the moment slightly strong than the Atlas.

'Two individuals who are stronger than me, three if I count Zeus.', Ares contemplated, not in anger but in gleeful excitement the God of War had found opponents. His blood boiled and his heart pounded with such vitality that it was audible.

" Calm down my lion, lest you destroy your chamber.", a tantalising whisper halted Ares' surging bloodlust, fair arms caressed his chest and a pulchritudinous face rested on his broad shoulder. Like a river of gold, her hair covered her sultry bare body.

"Apologies Aphrodite, it's been a long time since I've felt such a rush of bloodlust. My younger self would have already charged head-on even if it meant dying.", veins that popped started vanishing and Ares' muscles relaxed. His regal demeanour returned and the savage aura receded.

" Such a figure lord Eidenai is, his mere presence incites raw emotional reactions. No one is immune to him and this is perhaps why he's such a polarising existence.", even without him mentioning Hades name Aphrodite understood why Ares lost control of his emotions. How could she not, wasn't she the same?

Ares stood up leaving Aphrodite's embrace and walked towards the balcony. The air he breathed out started condensing as it would in the cold temperatures, the fire of war raged through his body as " Hades... Finally a worthy opponent. Our battle will be legendary."

Hidden deep within the bowels of, the Underworld was the kingdom of the dead in Greek mythology, the sunless place where the souls of those who died went after death. Watered by the streams of five rivers (Styx, Acheron, Cocytus, Phlegethon, and Lethe), the Underworld was divided into at least four regions: Tartarus (reserved for the worst transgressors), the Elysian Fields (where only the most excellent of men dwelled), the Fields of Mourning (for those who were hurt by love), and the Asphodel Meadows (for the souls of the majority of ordinary people). And at the centre of it all sat the God of the Underworld on his throne, his chin resting upon his fists, "Ares... unfortunately your death won't be by my hand, soon Darkseid will descend and the birth of the marked warrior is nigh. Olympus... your days are numbered...", a smile graced his lips and a yellowish light flashed in his eyes.

"Thanatos! Inform Nyx I'll be visiting Mars, in my absence, you hold dominion over the Underworld, the Judgement of the soul are to be transferred solely to Rhadamanthus, Minos, and Aeacus.", Hades got up and started shapeshifting into a tall green humanoid.

"As you command my lord.... but what if Goddess Persephone comes seeking your audience?", Thanatos bowed as his monarch vacated the throne of Hades and saw him shape-shift into a Martian. He still thought back to the first time he got to know that there existed a Pantheon on the Planet Ares or as his liege acknowledged as "Mars".

Thanatos was plenty aware of the other Pantheons on Gaia and among them, only three Pantheons truly posed an actual threat to his King those being the children of Ra, Tiàn and Shàngdi, and the Trimurti. Because, unlike every other Pantheon which had Gods being the ones most active while the Primordials chose to sit things out unless an extinction-level enemy threatens them, in these three Pantheons existed Gods who rivalled the power or in some cases surpassed many Primordials.

Hades was about to join the ranks of such Gods soon and he would have already become one had he destroyed Olympus, after all, what good was a non-interference pact if there was nothing left to interfere in but the coming invasion of Darkseid halted his plans.

"... I'll be back before she finds the Narcissus. But if I'm late don't impede her path to the Underworld.", saying that Hades vanished leaving no traces of his existence.

Planet Ares/Mars

Date:- Era of New Gods

Time:- Unknown

Two moons shone in the night sky over the harsh arid terrain of Mars. The temperature was freezing at -140°C and a gravity weaker than that of Earth. One could not be blamed for assuming that no intelligent life existed on this barren land, water could not exist in liquid form due to low pressure and such a thin layer of atmospheric oxygen would not allow for any high-level carbon-based lifeform.

But this planet was inhabited by the Green Martians. Green Martians can thrive in most environments. Their shape-changing abilities enable them to alter their body chemistry to adapt to nearly any environmental extreme. Due to their weakness to fire, however, Martians are uncomfortable in environments with extremely high surface temperatures. Martians can function in most environments regardless of gravity (even zero-gravity environments). Their technology is more advanced than most standard technology from Earth and that's not likely to change.

Every intelligent creature to ever exist achieved its place as the dominant life form through the constant process of struggle, death and atrophy. For example, it took Malthusians about 5 billion years to reach such scientific prowess to actively tap into the Emotional Spectrum and form the beginnings of the Lantern Corps, that too on their own.

It was another one of those instances of Gods achieving the same achievements in very brief instances, it took Hades what? some 20 years to tap into the Emotional Spectrum and that's not to mention other Gods who unconsciously utilise the Emotional Spectrum.

However, Martians achieved dominance in a pacifist way as there was no actual opposition against them. While others were forced to play "free for all", Martians just played it solo and achieved success without much struggle.

But such an existence made them gentle. They never developed any edge whatsoever, it was this fact that troubled H'ronmeer.

" Greetings old friend. It seems I've caught you at a troubling time, what's the matter?", a Green Martian stood behind H'ronmeer, who seemingly appeared out of nowhere.

"Aidoneus, welcome my dear friend. Yeah, time is indeed troubling.", said H'ronmeer with a contemplative look on his face.

The natives of Mars were a polytheistic culture, worshipping several deities. The most famous of these was H'ronmeer, the God of Death and Fire (although some regions referred to him as the God of Life and Light).

" Tell me of your worries, maybe a little perspective is all you require. And what better perspective there must be than that of another God from a different pantheon?", said H'ronmeer's companion as he walked beside him.

"... Martian are fundamentally vulnerable. They lack the instinct to survive...", stated the God of Death, a bit of disappointment adorning his face.

" There are pros and cons to every route, the crucial significance is that the pros must outweigh the cons.", the God of Death gave an approving nod for the sound advice of his companion.

"... a valid standpoint. Then I reckon the choice must be made..." a pained expression manifested on H'ronmeer's countenance but he steeled himself not a moment later.

"You have already made the choice H'ronmeer... and now you have to understand that choice.", whispered Aidoneus.

" Is there truly any free will... Martians are marked for extinction... Darkseid will not spare them. He's hell-bent on finding the Anti-Life, and yet the only way out is total annihilation or the survival of a handful.", deep sorrow and anger hid in H'ronmeer's voice.

"Or you can choose to join forces. There is no shame in asking for help from your friends, especially when it's concerning your own children.", a gentle smile and a hopeful look adorned Adioneus' gaze.

" No. I believe you will honour your word but we don't have the power to negotiate as equals. Many Primordials inhabit Gaea and we have none. I refuse to let my children live in servitude, I would rather have them die and rejoin the One True God.", H'ronmeer's grew colder at such a thought.

"But I request one favour of you... make sure J'onn prospers.", saying so H'ronmeer disappeared. Sometimes, inaction is the most difficult thing.

" I will honour this request.", and so did Adioneus vanish, Unseen.