In the heart of the Egyptian Realm, Ra delivered his warning more straightforwardly. By summoning Triton to the divine heart of his world. A place beyond imagination, Ra's Domain, his celestial sanctuary where the sun reigned unchallenged. This Domain was filled with an inspiring brilliance, casting a warm, golden embrace upon the diverse landscape below. Desert sand appeared like grains of gold, mountains shimmered with heat waves, and rivers flowed clean and clear across the terrain, each element reflecting the radiant hues of the ever-present sun.
Sacred sites speckled the land, paying homage to Ra's divine journey, with grand obelisks standing tall along the pathways. These structures, crafted from gleaming materials, bore hieroglyphs narrating the tales of Ra's accomplishments. They also served as conduits for divine energy, a connection from the ground they grew from to the skies they touched.
Amidst the breathtaking scene, reflective pools glistened like magical observatories, scattered strategically to offer a window into the Realm of mortals below. These pools played a pivotal role in allowing the Gods to observe and study the actions of humanity. In this enchanting haven, Triton stood ready to receive the profound warning about to be imparted.
Triton appeared in a pool of water, accommodated for his aquatic form in this unfamiliar territory. It was a disorienting experience, both thrilling and unnerving. He had never been to Olympus, yet now stood in the Domain of Ra.
Perched atop one of the celestial temples, Ra, the shadowed figure, cast a silhouette against the ever-blazing sun. His voice echoed with quiet fury as he addressed Triton. "As you are aware, the sirens have been granted passage through the Realm. But today, your actions have crossed the bounds of welcome. Disrupting the ways of my dominion, sowing chaos and commotion that even you cannot rectify."
Triton braced himself. He understood the seriousness of his actions. Still, he couldn't allow Ra to misunderstand his intentions, especially after his kin's death and kidnapping. He just hoped his words didn't rub Ra wrong, as it felt like he was already on eggshells. "I understand, but your humans have spiraled out of control. They bombed the seas and tormented my-"
A sudden wave of heat silenced him. Ra's eyes glowed orange like twin suns; Triton's fishlike lower body felt discomfort as the water formed steam. "I did not ask for your reasoning. This is me showing mercy and generosity. Please leave."
Triton clenched his jaw but obeyed, heeding Ra's warning. Triton returned and gathered everyone to update them before returning to their Realm.
From there, Ra moves on to summon the next person in the presence of Ra, the God of the Egyptian Realm.
Back in the Mortal Realm, Kaelena vanished, leaving Torin to panic about her sudden disappearance. Considering the possibility of a new power at play. The last thing he thought about was divine interference.
Kaelena now stood in Ra's Realm, eyes wide at the overwhelming view. She kneeled to scoop a handful of sand, grains of gold. Its heat alone could be the solution to those dying of cold.
Suddenly, a voice reached out, calm but commanding. Causing her to jump into a battle-ready stance, she looked around, only to be faced with a question. "Why are you here in my realm, child?"
Shielding her eyes from the sun, Kaelena struggled to identify the voice. "You dragged me here without my consent and interrogated me without announcing yourself. You don't think that's rude?"
A soft laugh. " I assumed you knew who I was. Apologies. I go by many names, but Ra will suffice."
Kaelena's face straightened, "Well, if you don't mind, Ra. It's hard to talk to you with the sun beaming in my eyes. If it's meant as some intimidation method, it's not. It's confusing, if anything. Look, I didn't choose to be sent here; there was a battle between Poseidon and Hera. The power was too much, and somehow, it sent us into this Realm. I was two. I just got my memory back, so I didn't know about any of this until a few days ago, and I'm still learning."
Descending from the throne, Ra revealed his appearance: a tall figure draped with a regal sash and a massive gold necklace. His flawless, golden-brown skin bore no scars, marks, or tattoos, and he wore a golden crown embellished with lotus and papyrus plant designs. The crown held a large disc covering his hair. His youthful face, devoid of facial hair, displayed striking hazel eyes. "That must have been quite the battle," he said. "Even so, you are not welcome here. I ask you, please leave."
Side-tracked by Ra's face, Kaelena was Fogged, for she was expecting the head of a falcon. But soon after, she snapped back, "Wait, what? I've spent sixteen years here. And now you want to kick me out? I have family here from both Realms. No, I'm not going anywhere. Where were you when I was locked in a cabin for months? Why not help and send me home then?"
Unmoved, Ra responded, "Once I banish everyone from your Realm, you'll be reunited. Check. As for the family here, I'll grant you an explanation and goodbye. Check. You have less than twenty-four hours, thank you."
Kaelena clenched her fist. "Why are you so rude? I have done nothing to you!" She stepped closer to Ra. She had promised no one else would make decisions for her, and here, another person stood, making choices for her. "I'm not... leaving. Especially now that you said so!"
Before she could blink, a focused beam of sunlight pierced clean through Kaelena's shoulder, burning through before any blood could show.
"Are you serious?" She hissed.
Chuckling, Ra remarked, "You don't take authority well, do you? You can't even use your powers. For a being like you, that shouldn't have even touched you. You might have grown in appearance, but you're still no more than a mere toddler." Ra walked closer to Kaelena and gently grabbed her arm. "You're already healed? Your body adapts faster than your mind, which is interesting and unique. That may develop into a fine passive ability one day. Even so, you need to leave. You're all disrupting my Realm. Also, amping your power like that—"
"Is a sign of disrespect. I know, but I'm not doing it on purpose. I'm a toddler, remember."
Ra burst into laughter, "Good. You are one of a kind, and I hope to see you more. You will be a younger sister from here on out, but even family has to leave. Now get out. Seek out Triton in the ocean. He can help you leave. Oh, don't forget to tell your parents bye," Ra responded.
In a flash, before she could protest, Kaelena found herself back in the hotel. Torin wasted no time bombarding her with questions. However, Kaelena surprised him by recounting Ra's summons and the sudden command to leave. With the name Ra coming to the surface, he quickly inquired about her well-being and eagerly awaited details of her encounter with Ra. She also mentioned the sunbeam incident, though Torin seemed more fixated on Ra's description. He had questions for the Egyptian God that he wanted Kaelena to ask, but she responded with frustration, feeling neglected due to her attempted injury.
The next deity summoned by Ra was Hera, but dealing with her proved to be a bit more challenging.
Upon realizing who had summoned her, Hera took her time absorbing the unfamiliar surroundings. Usually, foreign Gods aren't allowed in private areas like this unless they are asking for war. After taking in her surroundings, Hera expresses to Ra that he was interrupting something of utmost importance.
Hera calmly explained to Ra that she may be weak, but not weak enough for him to summon her at his convenience for a lecture. Dismissing Ra with a wave of her arm, Hera vanished, returning to her previous activities, leaving Ra angered but moving on to Athena.
Ra was attempting to complete this task without causing more trouble than he already needed to manage. In his opinion, the Gods of Greece were always the hotheaded ones. Quick to fight before trying to speak like Kings and Queens.
As Athena felt herself being summoned, her body froze, and she was shot and stabbed before disappearing before her enemies' eyes. Unhappy about the interruption in her battle, Athena quickly snapped at Ra.
Standing firm, Ra called her name to cease her bickering, "Athena!" Yet, instead of quieting, Athena smirked and insulted him as she spat on the ground. "What do you want, bird?"
Ra's expression darkened. Athena's sharp, arrogant, and dismissive attitude reminded him too much of her father, Zeus, as he soon pointed out to her. "Instead of the Goddess of wisdom, it should have been Audacity."
Ra expressed that the young, kind-hearted, and wise Goddess he had heard turned out to be a facade. Before the conversation could continue, Athena summoned her spear.
"Here is kindness. You've got two seconds to send me back." Her voice was low and dangerous, "or I'll show you exactly how much I resemble my father."
Unlike Artemis and Hera, Athena had been receiving praise for her victories in battle. This had started as a joke, but mortal men and women saluted her as a warrior deity without knowing she was one.
Athena shed the human armor she wore, summoning her celestial plating and shield, reminding Ra that she had already issued a warning. With precision, she hurled her spear toward Ra, but in his eyes, it moved slowly, her hotheadedness all too predictable. Still seated, Ra casually unfurled one of his golden wings from the skin of his back, swatting away her spear before it could touch him.
Without a second thought, he retaliated, shooting a focused beam of sunlight. Seeing the moment for what it was, Athena planted her feet and embraced the blast with her shield. The blast falls in the mouth of Medusa's 3D face on the shield. The loyal servant proved helpful yet again.
A silent standoff. A small test of skill.
Athena resummoned her spear, keeping eye contact.
Without an exchange of words, Athena made the first move again. First, her shield was thrown with such force that it created a shockwave as it left her hand. She charged behind it in an instant. Judging the proper distance, she launched her spear so hard it pierced the air, creating a swirl of wind. Athena then accelerated as an additional follow-up attack.
Again, Ra remained seated, watching her plan unfold. At the last second, with a flick of his fingers, Ra banished Athena back to where she was.
Despite her absence, her weapons continued their trajectory. The shield slammed to the left of Ra, but he managed to evade it by tilting his head. Which was the exact spot where her incoming spear headed, leaving a cut one inch deep on Ra's face. He could only imagine the severity of her next attack had he not sent her away in time.
Athena fell from the sky, landing hard on her side like she had been knocked out of bed. Despite her anger at his pettiness, Athena scrambled to her feet. Only to find herself back in the war and surrounded by mortal enemies who appeared more terrified and confused than she was. A soldier pointed his gun and shot Athena, recognizing her as the enemy's commanding leader. However, the bullets bounced right off her.
Instead of the soldiers being shocked, they dropped their weapons and stated that Athena resembled their leader, a formidable figure who called himself the God of war. Intrigued, Athena inquired if the War General they spoke of was named Ares, and if so, she demanded to be taken to him. Unaware of Ares' presence in the Realm, Athena should have realized it sooner from the enemy's sloppy and straightforward tactics. Responding to the enemy's condition for her to cease fire before taking her to Ares, Athena agreed and boldly walked into the midst of the battle.
She shouted her name to her troops, declaring, "It is I. Believe in the one who has brought you countless victories." Athena's troops wondered where she had disappeared and were extremely happy to see that she had infiltrated the enemy camp. The sight of her spirit and the sound of her war cry caused the opposite side of the battlefield to resound with cheers and battle cries. This praise and belief fueled Athena's power once more. Athena's power was now more than a half-point of her usual power.
Elsewhere, Hera finished extracting Kai's power from the bracelet, forming small glowing beads filled with liquid. She plucked one from the tray with the thought of taking one now. But just as she was about to take one, Artemis appeared with Cronus' coffin and Typhon.
Hera stared, stunned. "You actually succeeded?"
Hera expected to hear how Artemis accomplished the task and what challenges she faced. Though Artemis had much to tell her, Hera was not expecting what would come. Artemis began to fill Hera in on the fact that Hades had taken over the Realm. While Artemis explained, Hera's eyes were drawn to something else.
The Golden Fleece floated to the water's surface.
"Right on time," said the General, stepping forward and scooping the fleece out of the water.
Hera sees this and tries to explain the process and the need to revive Cronus. But the General ignored Hera, passed the fleece to a soldier, and started giving orders.
"Grab as many men as you can and empty the hangar." He instructed a different soldier. Looking back at the men before him, the General said, "Take the fleece, forklift that coffin into the hangar as well as the miniature monster, and make haste."
The order to put both in the same room bothered Hera deeply. Artemis quickly informed the General that Typhon wouldn't be small like that for long. In response, the General told his men to move quicker and then instructed another soldier to put the fleece on the coffin and get out once the two were in place.
Zeus, Cronus, and Typhon were crucial to the General's ambitions. They were the main points in the deal he struck with Hera, for he intended to harness Cronus and Typhon as unstoppable weapons of war, ensuring no nation could stand against them. Zeus, however, was a more personal matter. As part of the agreement, the General planned to have scientists dissect the King of Olympian Gods to discover if his immense power could be transferred. Was it embedded in the God's DNA? Could a procedure blend Zeus' DNA with that of General's? Or perhaps a simple transfer of consciousness would suffice? The General's smile broadened as he walked away, his mind alight with the teasing torment of possibilities. The process had to begin immediately; the potential results were too exciting to delay.
Hera seized the General's arm as he turned to walk away. Her grip firm, "You arrogant fool. You have no idea what you're tampering with. This game of yours was amusing at first, reckless, and absurd. But now you're tampering with forces even the gods find unfamiliar. You're not a conqueror. You're a child playing with toys. But now... now you've just pulled the pin from real, something far older than you can comprehend.
Despite the earlier interruption, she explained the crucial steps to revive Cronus properly. The Golden Fleece was in their possession, but Cronus required a host for complete revival. Hera knew all too well that the humans wouldn't hesitate to sacrifice another human for their own ends. However, the prospect of placing Typhon in the same room as Cronus's coffin was too risky to overlook. In addition, the General ordered all the humans to exit the hangar once they were placed inside.
Hera's heart thumped as she observed the smirk on the General's face. Hera's instincts went on high alert as he said, "I understand perfectly. You're the confused one." He smirked, stepping closer and removing her hand. "Science thrives on the unknown; that's how we discover the extraordinary, sweetheart. Maybe it was unintentional, sure, but if you're saying I've unleashed something so horrific it terrifies a... so-called god?" He chuckled. "Then my enemies don't stand a chance. I suppose now they should call me Frankenstein." The General's laughter echoed through the passageway, joined by his men, cold, confident, and deafening.
Without breaking eye contact with the General, Hera used telepathy to explain the urgency of their situation to Artemis, signaling that they needed to leave immediately. However, Artemis expressed concern about Athena and the unresolved plan to deal with Poseidon and Kai. Hera was resolute; Artemis didn't understand how their worst nightmare was about to unfold times two.
Before they could make their escape, events began to spiral. The General's soldiers closed in around Hera, blocking her path. He demanded she fulfill her promise before leaving, while simultaneously giving the command for the orders he had issued on the other two beings to be executed.
Two soldiers dressed in chemical suits ventured into the open hangar. One approached Cronus's coffin, the other to Typhon's containment pod. On the count of three, the soldiers were to place the fleece on Cronus' coffin and remove the collar restraining Typhon. As the lid creaked open, the ominous figure of Typhon began to awake and grow to its original size.
Immediately, the two soldiers turned and ran, locking the doors behind them. Inside, sand began to fill and flow from the crack in the coffin. The lid itself began to move as if the tiny grains of sand worked together to slide the lid off.
Suddenly, the lids fell to the ground and crumpled like it was barely anything at all.
From the sand inside the coffin. A swirl formed, and from it, Cronus' ghostly state emerged, seeking a humanoid host.
With time ticking away, Hera's eyes flicked towards the lights on the high ceiling. She remembered the buzzing power grid, the ample amount of windmills, and the glowing lines of backup generators.
"This is what you begged for," Hera said, drawing a gleaming relic from her robes. With a forceful crack, she shattered it, and in a flash of light, Zeus's sleeping form appeared, chained tightly. Her gaze quickly flicked from the General to Cronus, and Typhon rising in the distance. "You asked for Zeus. This is him," she said, gesturing to the still form of the Sky Father. "I neglected to mention that the only reason Zeus remained dormant was because I shielded him from every scrap of electricity. No storms, static sparks, or even a centimeter of space to produce body friction. His power source, without praise, has been starved."
Hera takes a few more steps back to grab Artemis's hand. The facility, making a faint swirling sound, was her cue. "But this place," she said, smiling. "This beautiful place you glorify so much may give him the jolt he needs. How's that for science? Take all this power around us at once; what do you think, one million, maybe three million volts? Think of it as jump-starting a storm. And once Typhon rips the roof off this place and exposes Zeus to the outside. We are talking about multiple bolts of lightning, one to three billion volts of raw electrical energy. I tried to warn you."
With a swift motion, Hera pulled out one of the potent pills extracted from Kai's power and swallowed it. Fortifying herself with newfound strength. Hera used her power to take control of the minds of four of the General's soldiers. Forcing them to turn their weapons on the General and his team and empty their full magazines. Seizing Artemis, Hera jumped into the water and commanded the sirens to open a portal. Hera wanted to show them real power, but if what Artemis says about Hades is true, she will need all her strength. Plus, she was leaving behind the troubles of allowing two beings like Cronus and Typhon to be unleashed in the same room.
Cronus, the Titan of time and harvest, is the youngest son of the Primordial Deities, Uranus (the Sky) and Gaia (the Earth). As stated before, the Primordial Deities created different Realms by splitting portions of themselves to split their children, who were destroying everything they created. In the Realm of Greek mythology, Cronus stood as the leader of the Titans.
Cronus later then rose to more power by overthrowing his father, Uranus. Gaia, Cronus' mother, got into a disagreement with Uranus. She then crafted a sickle and asked her children to help her. Cronus was the only one who dared to act. It's ironic that Zeus, the youngest son of Cronus, was the one protected by his mother and raised to overthrow his father in the same way that Cronus, the youngest son of Uranus, overthrew his own father with the help of his mother. Cronus was then locked away in a coffin and sent to Tartarus, a primordial deity associated with the abyss.
As for Typhon, he is one of the most fearsome and powerful monsters in Greece. He is a gigantic, terrifying creature representing nature's raw, chaotic forces. Typhon is a multi-headed creature resembling that of the most fierce and wild beasts, including lions, serpents, and other fearsome creatures. Typhon is immensely strong, capable of moving mountains and creating storms. He can unleash catastrophic natural events like earthquakes, hurricanes, and volcanic eruptions. His heads can breathe fire and spew poison, making him a formidable opponent in battle. This is why Typhon managed to repel almost every Olympian God and overpower Zeus, tearing out his tendons and imprisoning him in a cave. Unfortunately, Zeus received help as Typhon couldn't claim complete victory and was trapped under Mount Etna.
Given the nature of these beings, one could hardly blame Hera for worrying about what they could become if combined. Cronus' spectral form crept around the room, searching for a potential host, finding none other than Typhon. This was what Hera had tried to explain and had in mind when the General sought control of them. Cronus needed a body to take over to become whole again. With a human body, Cronus could bend and shape to his usual self, but if he were to do the unimaginable and take over a being like Typhon, no one knows what could happen.
Cronus' spectral form gripped onto Typhon, crawling up the giant's body as it desperately tried to shake him off. Typhon breathed fire, flapped its wings to create gusts of wind, and even clawed at its own scales in an attempt to remove the ghostly figure. Typhon's desperate escape made the hangar look small as his heads bumped all around, even breaking through the thick concrete roof of the hangar. However, as soon as Cronus reached the giant monster's mouth, the spectral figure slipped inside, and the fusion began.
The base trembled. Winds howled through its corridors as a large dark sphere formed, pulsing at the center of the hangar.
Within minutes, the egg-like sphere cracked open, birthing a figure no longer Typhon, not wholly Cronus either.
The takeover was a failed attempt as Typhon desperately fought against the takeover. So the outcome was different; though Cronus had successfully taken over the monster's mind, his body still bore features of Typhon.
As the being slowly stepped out of a dark void, Scales adorned its form, a magnificent armor of dragon scales hard as dark cosmic metal that whispered ancient secrets and primal power. Each scale bore a subtle luminescence, like pieces to a puzzle. Together, the scale was like the cosmic sky embedded in his skin. Actual stars glow and dance across the Titan's imposing frame. Four arms emerged, adorned with claws sharp enough to tear space.
The being's head was revealed next, with substantial sharp scales forming a crown overflowing with a never-ending river of sand, only to dissipate before reaching the ground, a testament to conquer over the sands of time. Serpentine features intertwined with regal majesty, sculpting a visage that commanded reverence and inspired dread. Its eyes were shaped like intricate clockwork mechanisms. The outer ring of his iris mirrored the storms of chaos, swirling with bluish-purple hues that reflected the cosmos' stormy depths. Cronus and Typhon converged in this singular form, birthing a Titan of unparalleled might and enigmatic grace.
As the Titan continued to emerge from the depths of the dark egg, the details of his form became increasingly apparent. Within the inner circle of his eyes, a manifestation of time and order spun with the precision of cosmic gears, casting a radiant glow of golden orange. Massive leathery wings unfurred, pumped from his back like a newly hatched butterfly, a fusion of grace and strength; even though his wings were heavy, their movements were light, like the sway of a feather when blown. When folded, they wrapped around his neck and body like a cloak, and when he stood still, the weight of his wings contradicted how they moved when he walked, leaving the ground cratered underneath.
Adorning his ankles were celestial anklets, their surfaces decorated with patterns reminiscent of constellations. Suspended from them were tiny hourglass-like charms, their delicate motions mirroring the ebb and flow of cosmic energies. Shimmering with the light that makes up distant galaxies, countless stars appeared as falling sand within them. Thus, the Titan stood, a manifestation of temporal authority and cosmic balance, his very presence a threat to time and space but as well as the embodiment of it. His sleek frame also had a spot of light gray, like his palms and lower stomach.
He was not just a Titan. He was something worse.
Something more complete. Cronus now had the energy capacity of two large monstrous beings. He is a Titan with the power of a Primordial.
He was Time.