The Lost Son of Zeus: His Return

Zeus presents his newborn son to Olympus. A mortal servant begs a blessing for his own child and is thrown out. Later, an attack hits Olympus. In the chaos, the servant thinks about swapping the baby. Hades appears and offers the deal. The servant agrees.

The swap is carried out. Hera knows the baby left behind is not hers, but Zeus, urged by Hera, takes him in and names him Icaris. Hercules grows up a slave in Thebes, hauling stone.

A rope snaps and a statue topples toward Irene. Hercules shouts for Irene to run, and a burst of power reaches Zeus. Zeus senses his son's power and orders Athena to send men to that mortal and bring him back to Olympus. Before that happens, Hercules is thrown into the black mines for touching Icaris's statue. Irene is locked up and given three days before being sent to Duke Creon.

Hercules beats fifty guards in the black mines, then reaches the Guardian trials. At registration, Icaris mocks him. Hercules catches Icaris's divine whip barehanded. Zeus arrives, says his eyes remind him of his lost son, then calls him shameful and cancels his registration. Athena pleads, and Zeus lets him stay.

At the talent trial, Icaris lights five pillars. Hercules steps up with no weapon. At first nothing comes, then the pillars blaze with ten golden lightning. Zeus says, “That is just like the power of my son.” He asks who this slave is.

The trial ends with no recognition. What follows is not reunion but harsher suppression from the family that should claim him. Icaris stokes the rejection. When the truth becomes undeniable, the same family will beg, and Icaris will turn to Hades for revenge.