Chapter 9: Leaving it all behind

It was absolutely freezing as the sun began to set on the island. My soaked clothes had yet to dry, and Eris kept pushing us forward up the mountain on this hulking, desolate rock of an island. I kept climbing though, even as my limbs began to shake and go numb from the cold. I pushed on for Eris, knowing that if we were going to get this done, then we had to keep moving.

"How much further?!" I called up to Eris, my voice audibly shaking from the cold. Eris turned back to me with an annoyed look, like a mother would give her child if it was behaving badly.

"We're almost there, Chronos! Another fifty feet at most. And please, do not ask me again. It get's annoying." She sighed as she continued up the mountain without any signs of her feeling the effects of the cold. I kept my lips pursed shut as I followed her up the last stretch. What she said held true, and I soon found myself reaching for the last bit of rock, pulling myself up to see-

"Nothing... There's nothing here, Eris!" I shouted, mostly in anger as I fell to the ground in a ball, trying to keep myself from freezing to death. If it were true, and there was nothing here, then my life would have amounted to me freezing to death because I followed an insane woman to the top of a mountain thinking she was a goddess or something!

"To the untrained eye, Chronos." Eris said, hoisting me to my feet. "You'll only see it if you want to see it. Concentrate." Eris grabbed hold of my hand and gave me a genuine smile, confidence exuding forth from it.

I had nothing left to lose, so I pictured it. Pictured a world of the dead inside my mind. The pictures began to swirl through my head, and it felt as if I was actually in the underworld, smelling the still air of the earth, hearing the screams of the damned... In fact, I think I was.

"Open your eyes, Chronos." Eris whispered in my ear. When I did, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. Everything I had pictured in my head was right in front of me, plus one big, blue flame-headed man in a black toga.

"Hey! Welcome to the Underworld! I'm Hades, ruler of this place! Welcome!" He blathered, approaching with outstretched arms. "Eris, my dear, it has been too long!" He said with a laugh, wrapping an arm around Eris. "I take it it's time?"

Eris pushed Hades off and nodded. "Yes, you dolt, it is time. You still kept Chronos' memories, right?" She asked threateningly, to which Hades had to laugh at. This God didn't seem to take much seriously.

Hades jerked a thumb to an opening in the rock wall behind him. "The pool is in there. And it's great to see you again, Chronos." Hades said as he wrapped an arm around me next. "Don't worry, the Gods are weak now, cowering on Mount Olympus like scared children. Only Poseidon was brave enough to stand against you, and you ripped through him like a wet tissue!"

"Say what?" I asked, clearly confused. I don't remember ever fighting a God! Let alone the God of the Sea! That seems like something someone should remember! Then I remembered the sea creature, then waking up to a completely blank memory about the incident that followed.

"Yeah, Poseidon isn't happy about it, but he's in my realm now, so my rules apply. You know, Zeus will have surely sent word to Equestria about your coming. Aren't you worried that they're preparing for your arrival?" Hades asked, to which Eris responded with her oh so maniacal giggle.

"Please, Hades. Whatever those ponies come up with will be no match for what my love will be capable of. Now, Chronos, why don't you venture into the pool while Hades and I strategize. We'll be ready to venture fourth to Equestria once you're fully restored."

I simply nodded and went ahead, the sounds of screaming dead echoing throughout this hell drowning out my echoing footsteps. I looked inside the room, and sure enough, a pool of what looked like solid gold adorned the middle, a single stalactite dangled above the middle, dripping water into the center of the pool.

I removed my wet clothing and looked at my reflection in the golden liquid. I would never look at this face as me again... I would never look at this world again, or be a normal man like I thought I would. Destiny had intervened, fate pushed me towards something greater. If ever there was a moment in history where a man had the chance to become a God, I wonder what he'd do. Would he take the mantel without question, or would he realize that maybe there were some things man just wasn't meant to have.

"Well, I've come this far..." I muttered. Just as I was about to place my foot into the pool, a voice from the corner of the room stopped me. I turned to see a weak old man, with a long, white beard chained to the wall by his wrists.

"Wait..." He wheezed, looking up at me. For some reason, his name came to me instantly.

"Poseidon?" I blurted, stepping towards him, feeling a weight growing in my heart. If I was capable of bringing this God down with my semi-mortal powers, what could I do as a God myself? "What happened?"

Poseidon chuckled. "I believe you know what happened, Chronos. I know you have your doubts and fears about what you're about to do, and that's good... Keep those fears and doubts. This cannot be stopped now. This must always happen. You must become the God you were born to be..."

"But, I'll do nothing but cause destruction... I'm not sure if I should do this, but I don't know what Eris might do to me if I refuse... I'm at a crossroads here, Poseidon. What should I do?" I asked, kneeling down to face level with the God.

"You must become what you were always meant to, but that doesn't mean the old you has to be you now. You will struggle with your identity, and only who you want to be will shine through. Those memories that you will gain, the thousands, and thousands, of years of your previous life will fill your mortal mind. It may break your human self to the point of it never have existing in the first place. But, it may not... Always remember where you come from now. Who you are now... Don't make the same mistakes you once did for love. Eris... I shall say no more, Chronos. Now, go. Step into the pool, and stand under the dripping stone."

I wanted to say more, but I felt enough had been said. I might be me, I might not be me. But, I'll apparently always be me, because me is a God? I guess that's what I got out of it... I turned back towards the pool and slowly made my way to it. It felt like an eternity walking there, and frankly, I'm glad it did. The dwindling moments my current self had left felt bitter sweet, but welcome all the same.

I stepped into the golden water, which came up just above my waste, and waded my way towards the dripping rock. Just before I stepped under it, I turned back to Poseidon. "I'm sorry... I didn't mean for this to happen... None of it..."

Poseidon laughed, fairly hardily at that. "Don't be sorry, boy... You are the God of time, and as such, you have none to dwindle on for the past. Look towards the future now, for it is up to you whether you want to save it... or destroy it..."

I turned back around, looked up at the stoned and stepped beneath it, and as the dripping water fell onto my head, a tiny voice in the back of my mind could be heard.

"Finally... I am free..."

Equestria

Princess Celestia stood on her balcony, overlooking the morning sun as she rose it into the sky. Beside her stood Discord, who leaned against the railing as he smiled out over the valleys and towns. "Ah, it does feel good to be out of my prison." He sighed, smiling. "I guess being good isn't all that bad."

Celestia let out an amused chuckle. "Indeed, it isn't. I have to give you credit Discord. You were very helpful these past few months, especially in helping Twilight and her friends with the problems with the Everfree last month... A problem I can't help but feel was your fault in the first place..." She said with a deadpan expression on her face.

Discord held up his hands defensively. "Hey, it was done when I was evil. At least the Elements are back where you found them. I'd hate to have them used on me a third time..." Discord visibly shuddered as he stuck out his tongue. "You know, you can actually taste the stone, especially when you leave your mouth open during it. Dreadful..."

Celestia was about to say more, but a light clearing of the throat came from above her. The two looked up to see a creature with a white robe on, and sandals which held the tiniest of wings, but kept the creature flying above them. Discord had no idea who this creature was, but Celestia did.

"Hermes..." She gasped, visibly shaken by his presence. Discord looked from this 'Hermes', back to Celestia, then back again. "I-I don't want to ask why you've come, but... I feel you will tell me anyways..."

Hermes descended from above and landed next to the Princess. "I must, your Highness... Eris has popped up in the human world... She has Chronos with her, and they've reached the Underworld... We do not know when they will arrive here, but make no mistake... Eris will want her revenge..."

"M-Mother?! I-I thought she was dead!" Discord babbled, more shocked than Celestia had ever seen him. "I thought you killed her, all those years ago, when I was just a young Draconequus! How did she live?!" Discord yelled angrily.

"I-I do not know... I thought the Elements surely killed her, but apparently they don't have that capacity... They must have sent her to the human realm. Tell me, why was I not informed thousands of years ago?" Celestia asked Hermes.

"We only just got word of her a week or so ago. She hasn't been seen or heard of since her defeat." Hermes confirmed.

"Displaced in time then..." Celestia mused. "Fitting, I guess. Thank you for warning us, Hermes. I shall prepare for what is to come. Is... Zeus able to help?" She asked.

Hermes nodded. "We have one-hundred of the best Olympus guards on standby and ready to come to Equestria. I can tell them to come once I return." Hermes offered, to which Celestia nodded.

"Yes, thank you, Hermes. Extend my thanks to Zeus for me." Celestia said. Hermes nodded and flew back into the sky. Celestia turned to Discord. "I want you to go to Ponyville. Tell Twilight and the others of what is coming. I want them to be ready..."

"But, without the Elements, they'll be slaughtered! Is that what you wish to happen to your student and her friends, Celestia!?" Discord asked angrily.

Celestia turned about, anger and sadness etched into her eyes. "NO! ...Discord, I do not... But, this is war... They've saved us in the past, and they might just save us now..."

"With the Elements of Harmony, yes!" Discord argued. "But to send them against Chronos and my mother is suicide and you know it! They won't just come here to cause chaos, you know! They're coming for blood! Your blood! And anypony who stands in the way will be dealt with! Mother was ever so complacent about that..."

"Discord... Please, just go fetch them... I'll prepare with what little time we have. And, I need to know I can trust you on this... You are with us, right?" Celestia asked with a pleading look on her face. "I don't know what I'll lose in these next few days... I do not want to lose you again, too..."

Discord smiled and kissed Celestia's cheek. "I'm with you now, Celestia. My mother died centuries ago, and that hasn't changed in my heart. I'll fetch your student and her chums. Have some faith, will you? It's not like you to be this depressing." And with that, Discord disappeared in a puff of smoke, leaving Celestia alone.

The Princess looked out over Equestria, and could see it burning in her mind; see it littered with the bodies of her ponies, while Eris and Chronos stood in the carnage, there faces twisted into evil grimaces as they came for her next... They wouldn't kill her first, Celestia knew that. Eris was an evil bitch, and would kill all she loved, leaving Celestia in despair before taking her life. Suffering of the heart is worse than the body...

"No... Not today... Never again, Eris... This time, you will die..."

Author's Note

Well, I'm back, but still busier than ever. It's been ages since I updated a story, and hope to base god I can continue to update a bit more frequently. So, here's this to satiate the people as I continue onward to glorious salvation... with writing... and junk... Enjoy!

Pegasi Will rule