Long, long ago in 323 BC, before Greece was even a place of thought, there lived many people in a small village. These villagers tried to be civil, but they had disputes constantly. Their disagreements led to many fights over many unrelated things. A few people, a group of twelve to be exact, did not believe in such ways. When the quarrels became too much, the villagers split into smaller villages. The twelve neutral people stayed together and became known as the Peacekeepers. They worked together to keep harmony between all the neighboring villages, because now that they were no longer one, war threatened their way of life. They hoped that their former associates would leave each other to their own business, but being hopeful was all they could do, because their former villagers had different plans.
* * *
The night was dark, and the stars beamed down on the earth. The moon shone high in the sky so brightly that the land below it was lit up. It had been many moons since the villagers had split, but the tension between them as if it happened yesterday. The Peacekeepers sat in their dwelling discussing their hunting plan for the next day when Halina, Alastair’s daughter and the most shrewd of them, cried out.
“Alastair, the darkness grows stronger. I feel it, and I fear the worst may happen if we let this go. We should go. We have to fix this before it is too late,” she stressed. Her light grey eyes glossed over. She appeared fretful and on the verge of crying. Her dark, brown hair was straight against her back, and her pale skin reflected against the moonlight.
“You are right,” Alastair acknowledged. His brows furrowed and a deep crease sat upon his aging forehead. “We must go. I, as well, feel that something is not right.”
“Alastair, what do you make of this? These feelings we keep experiencing. I do not feel the same as I once did,” confessed Saxon, Alastair’s son. He sat there perplexed as he rubbed his short, stubbled chin. His dark eyes strongly resembled his father’s.
“Yes, as for me. There is something different about us,” Alecta, Alastair’s other daughter, agreed. She wore her hair in a long braid down her back. Its darkness was as stark as the night sky when the moon was nowhere to be seen.
The other Peacekeepers, all siblings and children of Alastair, mumbled in agreement, but Alastair silenced them.
“I do not know what we are feeling or why. This is new to you as it is to me, but we must discuss it when we return. Right now, we need to go the other villages. The night feels restless, and if something happens we need to be there to stop it.”
* * *
Across the way, Andronicus began to put his plan into play. “It’s almost dusk, begin to prepare the weapons,” he commanded.
He and his followers were filled with anger and hostility. They were violent and aggressive and incapable of compromise. Their actions were the main cause of the village’s split so long ago.
“Sir, word has come that the Peacekeepers are on their way,” warned his leading warrior.
“Well then, don’t just stand there. Bring in the warriors. I need to discuss the plan with them one last time before this battle begins.”
The warrior exited the dwelling to gather the others, and Andronicus was left to himself. “I will be victorious. It is my time to rule.”
The evil within him grew stronger each day, and soon his rage would be unstoppable.
*  *  *
“Alastair, we are almost to the other villages. What should we do?” asked Alecta.
Alastair turned to his Saxon, who was the best with battle plans. He would know what plan of action would be best to use for the situation at hand. “Saxon, what do you think we should do?”
“We need scope out the villages. We need to send two people to each village. That will leave four behind to keep watch from here.”
The Peacekeepers split. Alastair went with Alecta, and Saxon went with Halina, while the others paired up and moved out.
Saxon and Halina moved towards Andronicus’ village. They snuck up behind his dwelling and listened carefully.
“We will be triumphant tonight, comrades! We will no longer let the other villages determine our lives. We will take over tonight, and we will rule over all of the villagers. They will cower at our command!”
Andronicus’ followers cheered, but Halina felt a deep wrenching in her stomach.
“This is not right,” she voiced. “We must go warn Alastair.”
They ran back to find Alastair there waiting. Saxon spoke first.
“We bring bad news. Andronicus is leading his villagers. They plan to go to battle by attacking the other villages tonight.”
Alastair grew furious at the news he had just heard.
“We will not let that happen. Saxon, what did you get on his men?”
“They are strong and capable. We know that some of the best warriors followed him after the split. I worry this could end badly if they are not stopped.”
“What is the best plan of attack?”
Halina and Saxon discussed what they knew and formulated a plan.
“We need to move in while we still have the element of surprise, before they even begin to advance on their plan,” Halina directed.
“Yes,” agreed Saxon, “we should split into three groups. There should be two groups of five and a group of two. The groups of five will move in on the left and right of Andronicus’ dwelling. This way we can block of him and his men’s exit. The two people who stay behind will be the lookouts and back up if we need them. We need to make sure no one else attempts any attacks.”
“We know he only has an army of 9, that is including himself, but we know more than just his warriors followed him, so we need to be alert,” agreed Alecta.
Alastair nodded in agreement as well.
“Once we close in on his dwelling, we need to try and reason with Andronicus. If that fails, we will move into the next steps. We will need to disarm his warriors. Our goal is not to harm or kill anyone,” Alastair instructed. “Let’s advance now.”
The Peacekeepers divided and moved out. They advanced onto Andronicus and his men inside the dwelling. They blocked the entrance and Alastair spoke up.
“Andronicus, we will not tolerate this. You need to stop.”
“Oh, Alastair, always trying to keep things civil,” Andronicus mocked. His dark, sarcastic voice sliced through the humid night air. “Do not try to stop me. You and your so called army are no match for mine. Get out of our way or be destroyed.” 
“Andronicus, this is madness! You are willing to slaughter innocent people, for what? Just so you can seem powerful?”
“I am willing to slaughter people because they are weak, but I can change that. I can turn them into an army! I can have them attack any empire and we will never face defeat. I will be able to rule over anything I want,” he said wickedly. “Now move or face your death, brother.”
Alastair turned to look back at his followers. “Now!” he shouted.
They put their backup plan into action. Alecta and Saxon unsheathed their swords, along with Halina and the rest of the Peacekeepers. The battle began and the Peacekeepers fought fiercely. They disarmed many of Andronicus’ followers, but without killing them there was nothing they could do to stop them from continuing to fight. Even with the warriors unarmed, the Peacekeepers could not stop them. Although they were not outnumbered, their warriors lacked the strength that Andronicus’ warriors held. They began to falter.
“Alastair, we cannot continue to fight. We will lose!” warned Alecta.
“Fall back! Move out and get into the open,” he called to his people.
They retreated from the ravaged dwelling out into the courtyard. The backup Peacekeepers joined the fight, but their help made no difference. Andronicus’ men had them backed up against a wall. Halina began to call upon the Earth for help and Alecta prayed for a quick death. The other Peacekeepers joined in the prayers and pleads for help.
Andronicus closed in with his men. He sauntered up to Alastair and looked directly into his unwavering eyes. He then unsheathed his sword and raised it above his head. Alastair’s followers continued to pray and plead for aid, now even more desperately than before. Andronicus had just begun to bring his sword down when lightning shot down from the sky, blinding him and his followers. When the light dissipated, the Peacekeepers gasped in shock. They were hovering above the ground, illuminated in a bright, gold light.
“Alastair! What is happening?” shrieked Halina.
The Peacekeepers began to change. They moaned in pain as their transformation took place.
“Stop them!” ordered Andronicus. “Kill them. Now!”
But his warriors only stared in dismay.
The Peacekeepers doubled in height, tripled. They grew stronger, more powerful. Their weakest female was now stronger than any mortal man. The men become stronger, the women grew more graceful. Although they still looked physically like their former mortal selves, their abilities were so much more advanced. Their greatest strengths now amplified by infinate amounts.
Alecta, the strong willed huntress, grew connected to the wildlife and nature. Saxon, the warrior, become a war master knowledgeable of every war tactic and strategy known and unknown to mankind. Halina, the intelligent one, became the most wise. Her compassion and desire for fairness brought a sense of justice upon her, and Alastair, the leader become the strongest, most powerful of them all. His leadership and strength granted him the power of the sky. The other Peacekeepers were given special strengths as well: beauty, love, fire, arts, hearth, commerce, water, harvest. Each had their own talent broadened and developed further than it ever was before.
When the Peacekeepers returned to the ground, Andronicus turned to his men.
“Destroy them!” he shouted. “We will not lose to these barbarians!”
His men only looked at him in disbelief before turning to the Peacekeepers. They studied them in awe before bowing down. One of the men stepped forward.
“Powerful Peacekeepers, please forgive us for our faults. We will be now and forever loyal to you! Your strength and power is undeniable; you are gods, goddesses! We change our ways if you will only give us the chance.”
Alastair spoke for himself and his people.
“We will have mercy on you for your misdeeds. Leave now. Go home to you families. Do not come back to cause disorder ever again.”
The men ran off, and now Andronicus was left alone.
“Andronicus! What you did could be seen as punishable by death, you attempted to murder many innocent people for your own personal gain.. But, we will have mercy. Leave now, and never return to any of these villages. Next time, we will not be so kind.”
“Brother, please,” begged Andronicus.
“Leave!” Alastair boomed. 
Andronicus cowered at Alastair’s command now that he truly realized how powerful the Peacekeepers has grown. He bowed to them and then left.
* * *

The Peacekeepers moved on from their village. They were different now, and they realized that they could no longer stay on the land of the mortals. They searched for somewhere secluded where they could watch over their people.
They searched for many weeks to find that their desired spot was at the very top of the highest mountain near the villages, which eventually became known as Mount Olympus. Word of higher beings spread through the villages and all throughout the neighboring towns. The people talked about the Peacekeepers. They were idols in the eyes of their people.
Decades passed, and the Peacekeepers had not been heard or seen, but the people of the villages never forgot. They worshiped them. They called them the Olympians; the twelve gods and goddesses of Greece. Zeus, god of the sky; Athena, goddess of wisdom; Ares, god of war; Artemis, goddess of the hunt; Poseidon, god of the sea; Hephaestus, god of fire; Hera, goddess of marriage; Apollo, god of music; Aphrodite, goddess of love; Hestia, goddess of hearth; Hermes, god of commerce; Demeter, goddess of harvest.
But little did the Olympians know, they were not the only ones. Over time, many other humans turned into gods and goddesses, titans, and other immortal beings. Some good; some very vile and villainous.
Far away, after his defeat, Andronicus sat fuming. His rage was burning inside of him, when he transformed, becoming the corrupt and evil god of the underworld known as Hades. He spent years gathering an army of titans, waiting for the moment to use his newly gained followers to help take his revenge. He would rule one day, and he would make his brother pay for wronging him.