There was a commotion as instructors and scribes arrived. Metis, and Gwen made their way through the crowd, stoping besides Cronus.
They tried to put a stop to it, but Hero brandished his weapon, dearing anyone of them to come near. He was ready to fight anyone that tried to stop him.
Cronus morphed into a colossal giant, veins bulging, his divine essence swirling around him. Twin Sickles materialised in his hands.
He tightened his grip on them, the ground trembling beneath his feet as he made his way to Hero.
Zeus held up a hand, halting Cronus from intervening. He had already been declared the winner, so this fight would mean nothing. Even if he lost.
He knew Hero would not give up unless they fought now.
"I give my consent for this fight."
The bell tolled for the commencement.
He looked at his mother, sister, and cousin, then up at the tiers where his eyes locked with Merva who stood distinct amidst the seated crowd. Her face twisted with worry, and dread, but he nodded in assurance.
"Nonsense." Metis retorted. "You will do no such thing," She ordered.
She tried to reach the ground where he stood, but she was held back, she and Gwen.
Tears flowed down their eyes, watching as Zeus transformed. 'He wasn't a full blooded high god'
Cronus turned back to his normal form, knowing that the rules could not be broken, and Zeus would not be changing his mind.
Lightning crackled around him, creating a staff that pulsated with electric energy.
But it was almost nothing compared to Hero.
Hero charged like a storm, the ground shaking as he swung his axe in a vicious arc.
Zeus met his axe with his staff, the impact sent him crashing through the ground, dust rising before he finally stopped.
Groaning, he scrambled up.
Hero didn't let up, wheeling the axe like a tornado, he launched himself across the arena aiming for Zeus.
The axe bit into his staff,mere inches away from his chest, grunting with effort, his might faltering, as he struggled to push the axe away.
Hero kicked him, sending him airborne, and he landed heavily on the ground.
The axe fell down, then leaped back into Hero's grip.
Hero mercilessly pummeled Zeus, using his axe, and taking advantage of his stronger divine form to execute brutal moves, overwhelming Zeus.
Zeus defended weakly, staggering back.
The axe cut into Zeus hip, blood gushing out as he struck Hero with a bolt of lightning.
He let his staff fall to the ground, and he fell to the floor, out of breath, blood dripping from the gashes on his body.
Metis looked away, Gwen bursting into fresh tears at the sight of him. Cronus tried to step in but was stopped. The rules did not allow intervention.
Hero recovered quickly, watching Zeus attempt's at getting up, mocking him with every glance.
Somehow he rose, coughing up blood as he stood. Hero laughed enjoying his suffering.
Zeus straightened painfully, stretching out his palm, his staff leaping into his hand.
He smiled for the first time, exhaustion wiping off his face.
"Weak much?"
He taunted Hero, clicking his tongue in disappointment.
Hero forced out a laugh, closing in to finish Zeus off.
Zeus waited until Hero was a few inches away, and had lifted his axe into the sky.
His staff flared instantly, lightning enveloping the entire arena, the place engulfed in blinding light.
Hero roared disoriented, swinging his axe carelessly.
Zeus heightened his eye sight, closing the distance between them.
He cloaked his hand in shadows, fisting it. Using his remaining strength to land a blow on Hero's chest, right over his heart.
The shadows did his bidden, disarming Hero, and knocking him out as the lightening faded.
The light fully dispersed, the crowd regained their sight.
Many sighed in relief at the sight of Hero's unconscious body on the floor with Zeus as the only one standing.
He fell down to his knees, his family rushing to get to him, the crowd dispersing chaotically.
Zeus watched Merva, her eyes locked with his, struggling amongst the crowd, stumbling, trying to get to him.
The world tilted for him, his vision faint.
"I won." He mouthed watching her watering eyes, a bloody smile on his face.
Cronus caught him as he swayed, vanishing with him just before he blacked out. Metis and Gwen followed suit, disappearing.
Merva stood in the middle of the dispersing crowd for a while watching the spot where he had been before she walked away.
The insides of the fortress of Khronos was like it's outer part.
Unadorned.
The heavy stone doors creaking like worn hinges in silence.
The air was dark. Palpable, darkness that would take the eyes time to adjust to. The light from the bulbs was barely felt.
A faint ticking seeped from the walls, rhythmically, a corridor twisting ahead, vanishing into blackness.
Metis stood outside a door, a man infront of her, dressed in pure white robes.
"Still nothing?" She whispered.
"It has been three days, already," her voice barely carried, her arms folded tightly, her eyes fixed on the door ahead. "How has he not awakened?" She asked the healer.
"His pulse is steady," he paused. For too long. "But... He is not responding."
"You said he would wake. You...you." she swallowed a sob.
"I said he might," the healer corrected gently.
"Comas are not sleep, my lady."
"So what do I do now?" She said sniffing.
The healer did not answer.
In the heart of one of the chambers in the fortress, Zeus lay motionless on a bed, shrouded in darkness. He lay on his back, unmoving.
His face was beautifully peaceful, the eerie look of death not affecting it.
His sister Gwen, sat beside the bed, her head laying on it. She was fast asleep, her hand atop his.
Wisplike shadows from around the house gathered along the room walls and ceiling, slipping across the floor like ink poured into water. They crept towards the bed, thickening, alive.
They surged, enveloping Zeus, wrapping around his hands and limbs, crawling across his chest, pouring into him.
Zeus fingers twitched for the first time in days. His body arched violently, resisting the invasion, but they pressed closer forcing their way in.
Cronus entered quietly, and sealed the door behind him as soon as he noticed the abnormality. No one had seen him enter.
He sucked in a breath. "So they came for you."
He used his powers to pull, trying to drag them out of him, but they fought to stay, clawing deeper into him.
They were too strong for him.
Zeus' lips parted, breath hitching.
He struggled for air, kicking furiously against the bed, and then he fell limp, his shallow breathing seizing.
"Gwen...He is not breathing."
Cronus called, the wisps attacking him.
Gwen woke, disoriented. Her mind still foggy. She stared blankly at what was unfolding before her, confused.
Metis listened attentively as the healer stated all she could do to help.
The dim lights went off, a shout tearing through the house. It wasn't loud. It was like an echo of the real shout.
It was wrong.
"I will get going now." The healer said rushing out of the house before she could refuse.
"That..." She breathed.
The sound of the healer's footsteps fading down the corridor, she waited.
One... Two.
Something insidiously crawled up her spine, but she shook it off.
She walked to the door infront of the one which she stood at and tried to open it, but it resisted.
She slammed her fist against the door. "Open it."
There was no answer.
She banged again, harder. "Open the door!"
She heard someone fall.
"Is the healer still with you?" Cronus called out.
"No, he is gone. Now open this door!"
The seal came undone, and she opened the door and rushed in.
Metis froze.
Her breath leaving her in a sharp gasp.
"What are these?" Cronus asked crawling back as they aimed another attack at him.
"How?" Metis whispered.
"Mother!" Gwen shouted snapping her out of her daze.
"These are void spirits. Minor abyssal creatures." She answered Cronus, rushing to the bed.
"Be careful around them."
"Mother, he is not breathing." Gwen informed her.
"Shock him," she told Gwen.
"What?"
"I said generate an electric current and shock his heart."
"But I barely have control of it."
"Just do it. It's our only chance." Metis answered forcing her tears away.
Gwen looked sceptically at her mother. "Okay"
Metis gestured for Cronus to get up, and together they pulled the abyssal creatures from inside of him.
Gwen gathered as much electrical current as she could, going as close to him as she could without getting close to the void spirits.
"Above his heart." Metis shouted.
She did it, trying her best not to mind them.
They saw him inhale deeply, and they all sighed in relief. But the next moment, the shadows surged forward in a violent rush, and got sealed inside him.
"No." Metis gasped. Cronus and Gwen falling to the floor in defeat.
The room went still.