Kronos (Book One)

Elysium

Hemera's daylight in Elysium graces the islands of the sacred realm of innocent souls. Heracles' piercing blues eyes see his family resting in a field of flowers. His late wife sits up as he gets closer.

"Glad you're here," Megara turns to him with a smile.

Heracles takes a step back. "How did you know?"

"I know your footsteps well."

Ophites and his brother stir up from their mother's voice. Their almond eyes widen from seeing their father.

"Father? You're really here?"

They run up to him and hug his tree trunk legs. His eyes well up from their reaction. His hands tremble before touching their bushy heads.

Megara rushes over with a jump.

He instinctively catches her in his arms. "Do you forgive me?"

"We forgive you."

"But-But why?"

"Those eyes. They weren't the eyes of my loving husband. That wasn't you."

Hearing that floors him to tears. His heart refuses to let go of them, not even for a moment.

"Daddy, are you okay?"

Heracles thinks about what led him to this moment. He would never have found out that they still loved him if it wasn't for Uncle Takashi's knowledge and help.

"I...I am now."

Megara strokes his hair and kisses his face until he calms down.

"Do you want to play?" Ophites asks.

"Sure. I just need to speak with your mother about something first."

The boys leave their parents alone for privacy. Heracles continues to cradle his wife while looking into her honey-brown eyes.

"What is it, my husband?"

"There are a lot of things that I want to say to you. Starting with......"

He tells her about what Hera did to them and how he found out the truth. Megara clutches him tighter from what the goddess did to her family. He also tells her about the tournament and the reward.

"...I'm split between wanting to avenge you and bringing you back......Do you and the boys even want to be brought back? I don't want to take you from this peaceful place."

She cups his face. "It is peaceful here, but it's not the same without you here. You can always visit us or bring us back. As long as we get to be with you."

"Thank you for telling me. I love you, Meg."

"I love you, too."

He caresses her cheek. Her face tells him how much she missed his touch. He gazes into her eyes before tenderly kissing her on the lips.

"Ewww!" Ophites objects.

Heracles and Megara break with laughter. Her laugh a symphony to his ears.

"Ophites, do you happen to have a girlfriend down here?" he asks.

"He sure does! Ow!" Therimachus yells after his brother hit him in the shoulder.

"No, I do not!"

"Well, you like playing with her hair and she does the same to you," Megara points out with an amused smirk.

"That doesn't mean anything!" his face betrays him with a blush.

"Let's play some catch. Maybe your girlfriend can play with us," their father teases.

"She's not my girlfriend! Oh, mom! Can we invite your new friend?"

"She usually sleeps at this time. I will invite her next time."

"Play with us then," her husband insists.

His wife agrees to play catch with a discus. The wide smile on his face makes Megara smile even past the point of hurting. During a picnic, he tells them about their new uncle.

"We do? What is he like?"

"He is a demigod just like me. He's stubborn, but his heart is in the right place. He's very strong too."

"Stronger than you?" Therimachus asks with startled eyes.

"Not physically, but he's capable. He lifted my 136 kg stone without using any divine aura."

"Wow! Will we get to meet him?"

"I don't think so. You see, he's from a different place and that's what he calls his home. He has loved ones waiting for him who are very worried about him. But I will tell him about you all when I get back to him."

"Do you have to go back?" Ophites asks with a lowered head.

Heracles sighs. "I wish I could stay forever with you, but I need to help him get home. I promise to be with you when I'm done. I will wake you before I go."

"Okay," Therimachus yawns.

Heracles' sons lay on top of him while Megara has her head on his chest. He closes his eyes and sleeps peacefully for once. Megara wakes him up the next morning, Nov 17th.

She plays with the long strand of hair on his head. "Wake up, handsome."

Heracles gets up gently which wakes up their sons. After eating a materialized breakfast of porridge and eggs, he embraces them before leaving through the door of their stone house.

"Sons, go off and play. Meg, can you walk me back to the entrance?"

His boys run off while his wife walks him back. He holds his hand out and she takes it as they walk. A gentle squeeze on her hand makes her eyes light up in anticipation.

They get past the first pillar, and he gently pins her against the wall. Megara bites her lip while staring at him. He lets go and she kisses him strongly. He kisses back as they disrobe each other. He undoes her ribbon and her brown hair flows as a breeze passes by.

"Give it to me, my strong hero," she whispers.

That was all he needed to hear. He picks her up and she wraps her legs around his waist. Her arms pull his head to lock lips with him. Despite the time apart, he intends to show her that he always loved her........

The pillar cracks upon the final thrust which makes the couple quiver in each other's arms. Heracles holds her until her feet dangle past his knees. He softly places her on the ground while kissing her hair.

"I wish there was more time."

Megara adjusts the strands of hair from their quick, wild session. "Consider this extra motivation for you to win."

After a proper dressing, he pulls her in for another kiss before departing. "Extra motivation. See you next time, Megara. I love you."

"Love you too!"

The love dust on the ground brings him back to his room in the castle. After a quick bath, he walks downstairs with a bit of puzzlement. His steps have changed. Each descending step becomes lighter than a feather. Seeing his family buried his self-hatred with love.

The sound of a sword clashing against a target gets his attention. Taki is practicing his sword strikes with Echo watching and stops from feeling his presence.

"Looks like you slept well."

Taki thrusts the sword with a lunge to the dummy. "So did you. How were they?"

"How did you know?"

"It's around 10am right now and Iphicles told us after I pestered him," Echo answers.

"Sorry about that."

"It's all good. How are they?"

"I told Meg the truth and they still love me. Ophites and Therimachus said they will cheer us on. Now, let's get back to training."

Taki puts away the sword and he taps himself. "Zone. FF."

They begin their physically sparring session.

Thank you, my lovely wife. I promise to make each moment count with you and our sons. Just wait for me.