The Death of Time

It's About Making...

When what will and what cannot diverge…

Carrying the entire personality of a Time God with all of his history was a monumental task. Still, Ananke had felt up to the job of carrying Chronos around, even if at the time she’d believed herself insane. Ananke had shut off emotionally but she’d always been capable of meeting challenges head on, so this had been nothing different even if it was strange. As she’d realized that the visions of past, future, and never in her head since childhood were a part of a very real, otherworldly connection, she’d found a well of strength inside to draw upon to keep going. Her persistence led to their first real teamwork which allowed respect to form. A cautious trust sprung up as Ananke supplied hope to Chronos’ despair as his body began to die, and then their tables turned when it was Ananke’s turn to die. Again. Against the odds, Ananke pulled through and Chronos had made it clear that he liked their partnership. So did Ananke honestly and that was why it horrified her to realize that she wasn’t able to do anything to help the Time God as this Adi Parashakti drove the hurricane of memories through them.

It seems that Ananke, and through her Chronos, was going to experience all the different gradations of pain; emotional, physical and now mental, she was dragged through them all. But her formidable determination was useless against this onslaught. Chronos could feel her start to scatter and then he didn’t feel anything at all. He was all of Time- attached to the Heart- his psyche would never die until Time itself did, but that didn’t prevent all of Time from ripping through him, charging into Ananke and then swirling back around for seconds. And just as the assault became too much for Ananke to hold out against and for even Chronos to resist, the Father of Time felt his anger and need to protect ‘nake collide against the Power being used against them. I WILL NOT LEAVE HER TO BARE THIS BURDEN ALONE. Chronos shouted, not expecting to be heard above the cacophony of sounds the memories attacking them caused. And yet his cry was all that he could hear. The noises from the memories and the pain of being unmade stopped.

Chronos and Ananke were still on astral knees, clinging to each other and even if he shouldn’t be able to feel it, Chronos’ throat was raw from the power of his scream. We’re alive. Chronos wondered out loud at the miracle, still incredibly close to Ananke whom still had eyes squeezed shut. For all that he was aware of the unreality around them, Chronos was all too aware of how fragile this mortal amongst Gods was. It seemed like he was the only one to be aware of it though. When Ananke opened her eyes to confirm for herself that Chronos was telling the truth, the Titan of Time saw evidence of what this latest Pantheon was doing to Ananke. The darkness of her iris and pupil swan in a sea of bloodshot veins, a combination of soul crushing exhaustion and world weary pain was plain in her gaze and for once Chronos has no clue if that was her own emotions or a reflection of his. There was even the chance that it was mutually shared between them.

We’re alive. Chronos repeated again, hoping to hear Ananke’s sly and understated humour in reply.

Are you sure? Ananke asked instead, looking around the unreality they now occupied.

Gone was the white field, the chaos of wind and the daggers of memory. The Tridevi didn’t whisper disharmony and the Trimurti didn’t command in unison, but most telling was the absence of even Adi Parashakti. Around them was simply…nothing, a blank darkness that lacked even a hint of life waiting out of sight. The Void. It was the moment in between moments, where chance becomes choice becomes probability, and it was a first for the Greek Titan because his Pantheon simply didn’t accept that the Void could BE visited.

The Void? That doesn’t sound ominous. Ananke’s humour in the face of this impossibility nearly made Chronos overlook a very poignant fact; he hadn’t spoken, so how did she know where they were? Because you’re telling me right now. Ananke answered the question before it could be asked.