Kronos (Book Two)

Prisoner

A dish breaks upon hitting the floor. Penny clutches the counter to keep her from sinking. Aiko carefully steps over to clear the mess. She helps her daughter-in-law into a chair. 

Penny's hand trembles along with Aiko's. Their hearts telling them he's not injured, but isn't with good company. Like a hostage.

"I wish there was something we could do to help him", his wife tells her.

She pulls her head against her torso. Stroking her amber hair with care.

"I wish the same. He will be okay. He's strong."

A lie she told herself. She wanted to hold her son as if he was a baby again. Comforting his sadness with soft kisses on his head.

Meanwhile, Greg feels the need to check the energy levels. Although not down to zero, they are lower than the stagnant line above them.

"Come on, Taki. Pull through. We are rooting for you, man."

He thinks of telling Hikari, but it wouldn't help her as she is. He knows she can still feel the trouble he's in. After going to break, he calls her up.

Their conversation was short. Hikari's breathing is constrained through a straw.

"Just focus on feeling better, okay?"

"Okay."

During this, Misha rubs her eyes from looking at the screen. Researching any way to defeat Zeus. Something she can text to help him out when he's at the mirror again.

Multiple tabs on one subject: Primordial. She texts him to discuss with Gaia, Nyx, Erebus, and other deities who can overpower the Olympian King. She hopes it will be enough.

It has to.

-----

Takashi's unconscious body lays dormant for 24 hours. He's constantly monitored by the coordination of Echo, Selene, Helena, and Hippolyta's efforts.

In the meantime, they search through his bag. The rectangular device brings numerous questions in their minds. Helena presses a button which lights up the screen. She drops it, but the cover around it prevents it from cracking.

She picks it up to find a strange sight. Similar to a painting. They see him lovingly holding a pregnant woman. Matching rings.

It only adds doubt to what Zeus had told them.

"He's a lone murderer who only seeks harm to others!"

Hippolyta bangs her fist against a column causing cracks to form. "This can all be an illusion of his! We can't afford to be soft around him."

Echo nods her head, but the majority of her mind--"I don't think we should torture him."

"Echo! He harmed...."

Helena can't bring herself to say it. It felt wrong for her to complete that sentence.

"She's right", the Amazonian queen surprises them. "My father never tortured anyone. It would disgrace his name if I did or knew about it. I want to, but he has her energy inside of him."

"He had to have stolen it from her", Selene argues.

"That can't be true!"

Chloe's voice alerts them to her footsteps. "My goddess would never lend her aura of love to a cruel person nor can it be stolen for evil. I think he's inn-"

The mountain nymph stands in front of her. "Zeus wouldn't lie about this! This stranger deserves to di-"

The contents of her stomach almost come out of her mouth. Swallowing it down makes her shudder.

Hippolyta places a gentle hand on Chloe's shoulder. "We all suffered. This must be your grief talking. You don't even know him."

She shakes her in refusal. "My heart and mind know him somehow! It's....like a puzzle to me."