Kronos (Book Two)

Game Pt 1

A flash of light appears at the entrance to the Underworld. Chains rattle along with the hearts of Takashi Watanabe and the others. Demeter's eyes swirl with rage and sadness that her niece was crueler than she thought.

The armored Athena tugs on the chains linking Orpheus and Medea together. The witch can still taste the dried blood on her lips. Her eyes tremble that her friend will be facing the goddess of wisdom.

"I would never guess that the Amazon Queen would be a traitor to Gaia. Oh, I thought they would like to watch our game," Athena rubs salt into the emotional wound.

He restrains the dark emerald aura from sparking. "Medea, Orpheus. Are you okay?"

Thoughts race through the mind of the musical demigod. This is not the first time we met. Glimpses of them fighting Eris and his grandfather as a team erases the thought of him killing his beloved teacher.

The witch of Colchis grits her teeth. "Why? Why are you doing this?!"

You should have left me behind!

The message in her eyes travels to him. "You are my friend, Medea. I will free you both."

Her pupils waver with tears cascading down. His words bring relief, but what Athena told them frightens her more. You will lose. It's hopeless! You can't defy fate!

Athena tugs at the chains behind her. Medea's body connects with the ground. Pain leaving her lips.

"ENOUGH!" The darkest shade of emerald aura is directed at the goddess. "You will not hurt them anymore."

Athena smiles. "Why care for a person who com-"

The aura swirls around like a concentrated tornado. The waters of the lake crash against the shoreline. Milk chocolate eyes hardening for the kill. Athena's owl squawks from the hostility while Charon continues to ferry souls across the lake.

My mother is with you, Takashi Watanabe. She will help you win.

A kick within Athena's chest responds to the audacity of the mortal's defiance. But she pushes it down.

The Oracle declared my victory. It's pointless to get upset.

Takashi can feel Demeter's trembling presence. Bringing her back to when her father ate her. Echo clasps her hand to alleviate her grandmother.

He stifles it down. "Athena. Thanks for making me mad."

The goddess of Athens almost tilts her head.

"I will defeat you with every emotion that I have," he delivers with a determined smile before sitting down.

Athena lets go of the chains to focus on her victory. Taking off her cape, she uses it as a blanket to avoid dirtying her perfect skin. Her helmet sits next to her with her owl keeping watch on the prisoners.

The game of lines and dots has been prepared with a side bar to keep track of the score between them. 24 dots in total arranged by a 6x4 grid.

Hippolyta reluctantly strikes flint stones to start a fire. The god of forges walks through the flames in his battle armor. Orange irises directed at the person hosting the remainder of Aphrodite's aura. Hephaestus silently takes a seat to the side as a witness. His aura picks up that Cadmus and Harmonia are within the Underworld as a precaution.

Takashi keeps his eyes focused on the opponent. "Let's go over the rules again. You must connect a dot with one line. Whoever makes a square, can make another line. Each square earns a question that the opponent must answer truthfully. Any question from either side counts as well.

You can only skip 2 questions per set. Meaning If I won three, you must answer one. The winner will be the one with the most squares. 2 out of 3 games determine the winner. Powers are offlimits."

"What's the punishment for lying?"

She notices Taki is grabbing his right foot to stop it from trembling. A being only true gods can see answers her question.

She stops herself from shaking against her breastplate. The bloody gnashing of the Kerie along with her dead black eyes almost squashes her courage. A blade of darkness is held within her hand, ready to strike.

Although Hephaestus is a strong Olympian in his own right, a single Kerie carries a third of Thanatos' full strength. Thankfully, Hades has them under control.

The other mortals can feel her presence.

Takashi clears his throat before projecting his voice. "I thank you for joining us."

The being flaps her thin dark wings before wrapping them around her. Her jet-black aura settles down from seeing the motherly aura inside of him.

"A lie not only costs you a square, but also a nonfatal strike from her. If I win, you will undo your magic over the Trojans and help me rescue them along with doing whatever I say for as long as I want."

Hephaestus' eyes shift to Athena faster than an arrow. "What is the meaning of this?!"

The disappearance that only brought sadness to Aphrodite kicks a furnace in his chest. A fiery orange surrounds his body. "How could you do that to her?!"

Athena's sky-blue eyes don't leave Takashi's face. "So, you know what I did. Surprising to say the least, but it doesn't matter." She turns to Hephaestus. "Our alliance ensures that she will be brought back, brother. Don't forget it."

His anger wants to drive his sword through Athena's head. However, his dream to bring back his beloved wife is within his grasp. He exhales to calm down his fire.

"And when I win, you will be in my custody before I have you over to father. I will also imprison Hippolyta and Echo for-"

Demeter steps forward with all four colors of the seasons. "You will have to face me before that!"

Her wrathful aura sends cracks traveling across the shore but avoiding the game altogether.

"Demeter!" Takashi yells. "You need to trust me!"

The determined look in his eyes settles the storm within her. She exhales while holding her granddaughter close to her.

"I-I trust you."

"Alright. You will meet Iasion and Persephone today. I promise you that."

A smile graces her face to lend support.

Takashi faces Athena. "Terms are set. Before we begin, we need to flip a coin for who goes first."

The Kerie brings out a golden drachma from her wings. One side has a skull with the other having bushels of wheat representing Elysium.

Athena tells him each side of the coin to call before the entity flips the coin.

"Elysium!"

The golden coin flies up before the entity slams it onto the back of her hand. Removing her hand, she shows the result.

"You go first," Athena tells him without emotion.

His index finger connects a single vertical line in the right corner. She matches by going in the left corner.

Taki extends that vertical line down to the dot below with Athena doing the same. His horizontal line forms to the right of her second vertical line to apply pressure. She draws a vertical line from that line to bottom dot of the final row.

Even if I lose one childish game, the Oracle already called me as the winner. My wish will be granted by my father!