ItB Book 1: In the Beginning

Similar to his immense might, they reflected the aspects of an angry thunderstorm. Truth be told, he was impressed. He watched over them, deciding what to do. They were nothing like the Titans that the Progenitor promised, which brought forth irritation.

Still, since his wife had named the Hecatoncheires, he only thought it fair to give the same honor to his Cyclopes children. He named them Brontes for the Thunder, Steropes for the Lightning, and Arges for the Brightness.

As they interacted with him very little, it seemed that they cared very little for their Primordial father or the kindness that he had bestowed upon them by allowing them to exist in his Realm. Their disinterest only seemed to raise Ouranos' anger.

He cared nothing for them. Why should their disrespect matter to him when he was the ruler of all of Greece? While he had no answer, the question begged another. How had his union with Gaia brought them forth? She had not carried the one-eyed beings in her body as she had with the Hecatoncheires, or even as it had been for him.

Had they been born from the seeds of the disappointment he felt towards their Hecatoncheires brethren? Were his emotions just as potent in the act of creation? Were those emotions just as important to making life in this wildly new existence?

Upon realizing how powerful his children could be, he knew where he might obtain guidance.

The sisters enjoyed traveling the land freely, but whatever the sky touched, Ouranos could see. Finding them was the simplest task for the Sky Primordial to accomplish. The three were walking on one of the many islands surrounding the peninsula.

They were exchanging words as they each, in turn, inspected the rocky green ground. Ouranos did not care for whatever evaluation they had for his Realm. He intended to make use of their vision and Progenitor-gifted wisdom.

"You would do well to control your lustful urges, Great King," Lachesis remarked offhandedly. She made her statement before the Primordial King could even manage a word. "The land cannot stand much more of your coital exchanges with Mother Gaia."

Ouranos could not say anything at first. The brazen fearlessness of the Fates was something to behold. "That is not why I have come," he said back, trying to steer them towards his needs.

"We know why you have come," Clothos said disinterestedly. She bent down to look at a blade of grass, inspecting it with great care.

"And does my reason bore you?" Ouranos asked. He closed his fist, restraining the fury. He was the Sky King, chosen by Chaos. All the Realm was meant to serve him, and while he could not harm the Progenitor, he could bring these insubordinate children of his fellow Primordial to heel.

"It does," Atropos answered with complete honesty. She held her posture as her eyes analyzed the dirt and rocks on the ground.

"If you are angry with your progeny, I will remind you again that it would be beneficial to refrain from lying with your wife," Lachesis warned. She had completed her observation of the place around them.

"After all, she is the earth itself, and as fertile as the ground that grows the trees that touch your skies," Atropos added. She looked up to the heavens, seeing something that was not there just yet.

"But will she have children like her and me?" Ouranos asked. His frustration was mounting at the three. How could they have such disregard for him?

"Do you mean children you will not reject, like your many-handed ones, or those you do not enjoy acknowledging like the Cyclopes?" Clothos wondered.

The clouds above began to congregate and crash against one another. Sounds of thunder joined flashes of lightning to match the storm that was brewing within Ouranos.

"Watch your tone, Daughters of Nyx!" Ouranos warned. "Chaos chose me to be King, and I rule, even over you!"

"Do you, now?" Atropos wondered. She and her sisters were entirely unbothered by the King and his feelings. "Perhaps for now," she conceded as he towered over all three of them. "But your selfish greed shall be your doom, Ouranos."

Ouranos snorted in derision at their hollow words. What could they mean to him? He was to be everlasting. When they did and said nothing more, he persevered on his quest.

"But what of my children?" The Primordial King of Olympus asked. His tone would broker no argument, his countenance would hold no compromise. They would answer his question or feel his retribution. "Will Gaia bear beings like us to serve me?"

The three sisters looked at one another after acknowledging his fury. They cared nothing for his pride. His momentary displeasure was fleeting and would pass when they answered him.

The heavens above swirled from its master, but with the weight of choice and the power of Chaos, the three commandeered the sky for their uses. The destiny of Olympus was unveiled to them.

"We shall tell you, Great King!" Lachesis warned. She felt nothing for this selfish ruler. He might very well be the first, but Atropos suspected that he would not be the last.

As one, with a voice that sounded so eerily like Chaos, the sisters of Fate said thus:

O mighty Ouranos

hear the words we impart,

The sisters of Fate,

we bring forth our art.

With threads of destiny,

we weave and entwine,

The tale of your children,

the Titans divine.

Hear us, Ouranos,

and heed our decree,

For your heart's desire

shall come to be.

Twelve children,

born of your sacred union,

Titans of beauty, power,

and divine communion.

The first-born, Oceanus,

shall embody the vast seas,

With his grandeur and serenity,

he'll bring you ease.

Coeus, the second,

shall possess a mind so bright,

His intellect and knowledge

shall be a guiding light.

But heed our warning,

for the third-born, Crius,

May foster ambitious rebellion,

causing strife thus.

Hyperion, the radiant,

shall wield the sun's flame,

His brilliance and radiance,

a celestial acclaim.

Iapetus, the mighty,

shall be strong and bold,

His power and strength,

a force to behold.

Yet, dear Ouranos,

be cautious of Mnemosyne,

Her memories hold secrets,

both profound and unclean.

Tethys, the seventh,

shall nurture the flowing streams,

Her gentle waters,

a source of life and dreams.

And Theia, the eighth,

shall bring the light of day,

Her radiance and splendor,

a luminous display.

Themis, the ninth,

scales in hand,

Brings justice fair

to all land.

Phoebe, the wise,

shall possess prophetic sight,

Her knowledge and insight,

a beacon of foresight.

And loving Rhea,

the nurturing Mother divine,

Her compassion and love

an eternal sign.

The three paused, careful of what they said next.

Clothos said in a calm, cool voice, "Cronos, the Titan with ambitious heart. In his veins, his Father's nature does impart."

Lachesis added, "A reflection of Ouranos, strong and proud, but within that resemblance, a warning shroud."

Atropos remarked slyly, "For just as Ouranos, Cronos shall rise. With power and might that reaches the skies."

With his question answered, his anger was forgotten. The tumultuous storm above dissipated as per their master's will. Ouranos looked at each in turn. "What must I do to have these amazing children?"

The three looked from one to another as if they were standing before the world's most foolish man. Their eyes glowed, and they spoke as one. The future was not being molded by them. Instead, they looked into the infinite possibilities and probabilities and chose the path most beautiful to them.

"To bring forth these children

of divine might,

A union with Gaia

shall ignite.

Twelve unions shall mark

their destined birth,

Each a reflection

their celestial worth.

Embrace Gaia's embrace,

twelvefold and true,

In each union,

a titan shall come forth anew."

Ouranos stared at the women, his loins stirring with anticipation. The world would be his, and he would have the children meant to serve him. Through Gaia, it would all be possible.

"If what you have said is true," Ouranos said with delight, "I will forever be your grateful servant."

With a lightning bolt, Ouranos disappeared, returning to the Realm of Olympus. Or would it just be Olympus? The sisters could not be sure just yet. Things were in motion and many outcomes were still fluid.

"Do you see him, dear sisters?" Lachesis wondered. "So blinded by his ambition, he does not see the risk even when warned. So consumed by the few steps ahead that he ignores the destination."

"Is this what all the Kings shall be like?" Clothos asked, lost in memory.

"No, my sisters. We shall ensure there is a King unafraid to share the burden of rule," Atropos declared. "These Kings who hold onto control so desperately and have ambitions for everything will consume this world in destruction. We will ensure that does not happen."

"What shall we do, dear sister?" Lachesis asked Atropos.

Atropos considered the question for only a moment before the thought was but a memory, and once it was a memory, even Clothos could see Atropos' intentions.

"You're right, dear sister," Clothos said. "We shall need a place that is our own, so those like Ouranos cannot try to harm us."

"But also, so we might master our gifts from Chaos. We cannot see all yet, and we are vulnerable to the choices of beings like him," Lachesis said with disdain at the thoughts of Ouranos.

"Then let us go," Atropos declared, "while this King of the dawning times is held hostage by his ambition and desires."

The three shrouded themselves in the darkness of Erebus and Nyx's night, for they were the first of the Chthonic deities of that union.

**********

She was the Earth, made of rock, bark, streams, and vines. That did not stop her from having skin or experiencing all of the sensations that went along with that. Her body had the outline of a woman, but she was so much more than her outline suggested.

She was Gaia, a Primordial, Child of Chaos, and Mother Earth. Even among all the lands of the world, she was incomparable, whether she knew it or not.

She stared out, loving this world being made, and even as she gazed at it, she swore she would do everything possible to ensure its survival for herself and her offspring.

Through her impressive gaze, Gaia observed the Cyclopes traveling in her Realm. She adored them in their uniqueness. Ouranos at least had the decency not to show them the outright disdain he gave the Hecatoncheires. Nyx was correct in her assessment about both her children and Ouranos; they were growing in size, attaining more arms heads every day. Still, Gaia loved and wanted more for them, including more siblings. If Ouranos could not give them the love Chaos had given Gaia and her siblings, she would have to fill that void with sibling and maternal affection.

Her naked Primordial form rested in the empty Realm of Olympus. She wondered what purpose Chaos had given the Primordials, only to be separated from her creations. Were the children of Chaos' children meant to walk on the lands of the earthly Realm? She could not know. Those thoughts quickly faded with the arrival of Ouranos.

He stood before her in all of his majesty. He was power, grace, and eternity personified. He was the embodiment of perfection in a man, and when he removed what little he wore, Gaia knew his intentions. The look in his eyes said he would have her. She was part of his Kingdom to claim, and when his heavenly body crashed against hers, Gaia moaned in reciprocation. She ran her hands over every inch of his torso, and Ouranos groaned in desire.

"Yes," Ouranos said to his Queen. "Give me your body, Gaia."

Gaia did not know the reason Ouranos came to her with such passion, nor did she care. She could feel her husband's fingers between her legs. A river of lubricating pleasure coated them in response to his possessive touch. She moaned into his mouth. The gushing waterfall of sensation made Gaia call out. For the next sexual experience of creation, it was a wonder in and of itself. She cried out as Ouranos licked her large brown nipples. While her body was comprised of earthly matter, she was nothing more than clay in the hands of Ouranos.

When he pinned her to the floor of their divine Realm, she called out his name. His strong, sacred hands grabbed her thick, wide hips, and she could not contain her first true orgasm when he plunged his godly manhood into her. Her female cavern wrapped around his throbbing erection. She did not comprehend what had come over him, but Ouranos claimed Gaia's sex as if nothing else in all creation was worth his time. As her breathing was lost, she could feel his penis throb inside her. She grabbed him, pulling all of him inside.

They were unaware of what the future held, but in that moment of coital connection, they would never have cared. The explosion of Ouranos' orgasm inside Gaia was a testament to his ambition for creation, and the moist, fertile acceptance of Gaia's womb was a sign of her motherly love for her future offspring.

**********

As Gaia rested in her orgasmic stupor, Ouranos smiled with pride. It would only take eleven more times for him to have all his children, and he would have them. If they were to take after him, they would be powerful beings, not the broken, misshapen things like the Hecatoncheires or Cyclopes. Those beings were more of Gaia's creation than his.

If the children were to resemble him, they would be obedient to him as Erebus, Nyx, and even Gaia, were loyal to Chaos. With twelve Titans at his back, not even Chaos could deny Ouranos anything. He would be the master of the lands, and with time, he would go to those other lands that Chaos spoke of and rule them, too.

**********

Chapter 3: The Seeds of Rebellion

"And again, [Ouranos] begat children by Earth, to wit, the Titans as they are named: Ocean, Coeus, Hyperion, Crius, Iapetus, and, youngest of all, Cronus; also, daughters, the Titanides as they are called: Tethys, Rhea, Themis, Mnemosyne, Phoebe, Thia."

- Apollodorus, The Library (~2nd Century AD)

Nyx looked upon the dark loneliness of Erebus' Realm. The recognition of her brother fading away was becoming more and more evident, but even with that knowledge in mind, she could see the dark lands becoming more like him. There was a warmth to this Underworld of his. She could feel his love in that place. Never wanting to let it go, she closed her hands. Increasingly, the Realm was filling with beings, and they all came to call her "Mother."

There was a being that did almost nothing but sleep. Another looked grim and lonely. Every night Nyx rested, there was another. She could not think of how, but those present were, in fact, her children. Somehow, Chaos and Erebus must have been responsible for the new lives in Nyx's world. Rather than being upset, as another Primordial might be, Nyx smiled, cherishing her children. She watched each of them, thinking of their names.

**********

A year after making love twelve times, Ouranos was outraged to find there were still no children. Gaia may have expanded in size, and things seemed to grow in the land, but no new life had been brought into the realm, nor did she give birth. Water was carving through the earthly ground in significant quantities, and their actions formed rivers, lakes, and oceans.

Through it all, Ouranos stared at his wife's burgeoning belly, impatiently grimacing. These so-called prophecies were turning out to be nothing more than ridiculousness.

Atop Olympus, he wondered what his recourse could be. He could return to Chaos and demand answers, but that felt as though it would be a fruitless endeavor. To compound that issue, the Progenitor made Ouranos feel small, and the Primordial King had no plans of allowing himself to feel like a fool again.

That left only one option open to him. Before too long, the Last Primordial would need to revisit the Fates.

**********

"Dear sister, is he coming?" Clothos asked Lachesis. She had believed that their new abode would keep them safe from intruders.

"He is, but he does not know how to find us here," Lachesis remarked to the younger sister. She turned to face her elder. "Will this be a problem going forward?"

"The Kings of Olympus will always seek us out," Atropos answered with near-absolute certainty. "If they come with a serving heart, then they are deserving of our advice."

"Will one do so?" Clothos wondered. Her question was dripping with skepticism.

"I believe with each passing generation, it shall get easier, dearest sister," Atropos replied without as much certainty as the other Sisters would have liked.

Rather than let doubt fester, Lachesis chimed in. "What of the conquering King?"

Atropos laughed derisively. "Which one? There will be many."

The other two looked upon the eldest sister. They wondered, at first, what was humorous to the thought of many Kings on Olympus.

"If Ouranos does find us, how?" Clothos wondered when she found nothing to laugh about.

Both Atropos and Lachesis exchanged a look. Lachesis could see and understand what Ouranos was doing at the moment. Atropos could see what choices would lead Ouranos to their home. The older two looked at one another as sisters do.

"Mother," they both said to Clothos.

**********

"Ouranos," Nyx said, acknowledging her nephew entering the Underworld. "What brings you here?"

The Primordial King stood over his elder. "I was hoping you could help me locate your children."

While not getting up from her sitting position, or barely moving for that matter, Nyx motioned to her more depressed-looking son. "Do you need Thanatos? He does not know what he controls yet, but I am sure he could help?" She motioned to her napping son. "Or did you mean Hypnos? I think he is why we sleep so well here, though I cannot be sure."

Ouranos had no intention of growing agitated by his Chthonic sibling. She was made for the Underworld, so of course she was absolutely unlike him. "No. I need the Fates. The ones that see the future."

Nyx held up a hand to stop him. "I am aware of which children you want, Ouranos," she said, caution edging into her voice. "I will tell you where they are, but I do not think seeking them out is the right answer."

"Oh?" Ouranos asked, curious. "Why is that?"

"They do not only look at the future, Ouranos, but also the present and the past," she explained.

"And?" Ouranos asked, curious what this had to do with him.

"My daughters understand us, Ouranos," Nyx warned. "They see what is within us better than we see ourselves. If you think they exist just to help you, you are sorely mistaken."

"And?" Ouranos wondered. "What of it?"

"If you follow them without thinking for yourself, you will find yourself blindly being led."