Once upon a time, the gods were young, an age when the Titans ruled, when cruel Cronus reigned, when the earth was raw and wild. Time rolled on, and kinder times came to the land, when Zeus and Poseidon and Hades walked the earth.

Zeus was the youngest of the three and the most carefree. He was fair to the mortals and other gods. Even if he changed like the wind, he was merciful to those who showed others mercy. He was a womanizer which did tend to land him in trouble.

Poseidon was a rogue and liked his women all too well, but he was more wise with his choices. His green eyes were wont to flash in anger just as often as they showed mischievousness. He was a stern god, but those who knew him well would call him loyal to a fault.

Hades was dark and brooding. He had little to say, but when he did speak, gods and mortals alike listened. Most of the minor gods felt he was the most dangerous of the three brothers, but no one dared say so.

It was a fine morning with the dew shining bright on every leaf when the three young gods were deep in the forest on a hunting party. Alas, not much hunting was being done, for they were locked in a verbal battle, as they had done since time began.

"Why dost thou have a trident, my brother?" Zeus snapped to Poseidon. "Thou cannot throw it straight and true to the stag's heart. Its hide would be pierced to ribbons, and the stag mangled!"

"Ah, but thou hast no true weapon, Zeus!" Poseidon countered. "It is impossible for thee to settle on any weapon that suits thee. Thou mightest have the winds, but they desert thy person at the faintest breath!"

At last Hades could stand it no more. "Silence!" When his voice rang out, the very birds hushed. No wolf howled. No mouse scurried by. Even the leaves of the quivering aspen ceased their trembling.

Poseidon scowled. "And what hast thou to say about this matter, brother?"

"We three fight constantly and I grow weary of it. We've beat about the same argument since we were born. One wishes to control the storms and another fights for the same right. We are gods, not foolish mortals. The world is not large enough for all of us. I propose we divide it amongst ourselves."

"Divide the world?" Zeus asked, raising his eyebrows in astonishment. "Thou makest sense. What dost thou propose?"

Nodding, Hades leaned back against a tree, ignoring the dryad that fled from him. "One must control the Sky, one must claim the Oceans, then the Underworld, the realm of the Dead, needs a ruler. The Land can be parcelled among our siblings while we three rule the Sky, the Oceans, and the Underworld."

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A mere mortal might think the gods would be able to agree quickly. But gods are jealous beings, and their loud arguments frightened the birds to the sky. The earth rumbled beneath their feet. The wind howled its protest. All wished to rule the Sky and none desired the Underworld - for then no one knew the true treasures of Darkness.

At last, Hades raised his bident and slammed it onto the ground. Energy rolled from it in all directions and once more there was silence. The wind died down to nothing and all was still. "Thou art making mine head ache from this foolishness. Come, let us reason together and make an end to this. Let us draw straws."

"Agreed," Poseidon said readily, and with a flourish of godly magic, produced three straws. One was shorter than the others, and he declared, "We shall do two rounds. Whosoever draws the shortest straw of these shall have the realm he pleases." He would have offered the straws to his brethren but Zeus stopped him.

"Why shouldest thou hold the straws? Thou couldst favour thyself to win!" declared Zeus hotly.

"Thou art correct; thou wouldst say I had not been honourable. We need a being who owns no stake in this. I call upon Demeter, our sister. She is most virtuous." This suggestion was readily agreed upon by the three and they waited under the shade of a great oak.

A beautiful woman stepped through the forest and smiled pleasantly at her brethren. "Why hast thou called me, brother Poseidon?" When the gods explained the matter to her, her green eyes shone in excitement. "It is a good plan. I am honoured. My only wish is to help the humans, and I desire to be with the plants and flowers I love. That is the only reward I desire."

"It shall be done." Poseidon gave the three straws over to his sister. She showed them two were cut to the same length, while one was a finger's length shorter. Carefully hiding the ends, Demeter proffered them to her brothers.

Zeus's storm grey eyes lit up and he was quick to seize a straw at the same time as the others. It was clear. His straw was shortest of all. Energy cracked over his frame as Zeus stated, "I shall claim the kingdom of the Sky and I shall ordain a home for all of us. It will be named Olympus."

Hades' eyes smouldered in jealousy and he tossed his straw away angrily. There would be one more chance, but it was not to be. Poseidon drew the short straw this time and became Lord of the Seas. Hades had no other choice but to be Lord of the Underworld. The Fates had decided. Even a god must bow to them.

The brothers parted ways, letting Demeter carry the news abroad. The rest could decide what domains they wished to rule.

Zeus reached a hand to the sky and let the wind carry him upwards to the treetops. The clouds drew about him and the greyness matched his eyes. The rain fell in torrents, but Zeus remained dry. The wind gusted. A few hail pellets scattered across the earth as the young god tried to become one with the storm.

Frustration grew in him as the Sky would not bend to his wants. It seemed to want to make him prove himself. The air sang with energy as the tempest grew. At last Zeus wrapped a hand around the very top of the redwood tree he was perched on and reached to stroke the nearest cloud kindly.

The Sky would not be demanded upon; it had run too wild with the Titans. When Zeus's hand touched the stormcloud, a great crackling erupted. Fire flashed into his hand but it did not burn. Great booms rolled from the Sky but Zeus seized the energy bolt in his hand as it leaped his way and embraced its great power. Lightning was born. Zeus had made his claim of the true Lord of the Gods and the Sky. From then on, mortals knew him for his Thunderbolt weapon that he hurled upon the unfortunate Earth in his anger.