Vast temples sprawled before Hades, their luxurious and sacred appearance dominated by deep purple hues that radiated the divine power of the Titans. Hades stood motionless, unhurried; soon, Poseidon and Zeus emerged from the roads of the dead and the gods. He briefly lingered on Poseidon, though the moment was fleeting.
"Poseidon has gone astray..."
Hades vividly recalled the Beast of Amber's words. What had Poseidon done? What would become of him? These thoughts weighed heavily on Hades, as he considered his two younger brothers, who would become his greatest opponents after the Titan battle.
"Hades!"
"Hades..."
Poseidon noticed Hades' hesitation but paid little mind, speaking softly. Zeus, however, frowned slightly, surprised that Hades had reached this point so quickly. For Zeus, this setback was insignificant.
"Let's go," Hades said, leading Poseidon and Zeus toward the Titan Temple.
After over a million years of Titan battles, he was finally poised to see the supreme Father God once more. As they approached, the Eternal Temple, the largest and brightest of them all, emerged, its core adorned with a labyrinth.
The three gods paused, caught in thought. After a moment of silence, they stepped into the temple.
Carved Labyrinth!!!
Inside lay the temple of the Titan God King, Cronus. The atmosphere was heavy with the weight of the endless Titan legacy.
"Hades."
"Poseidon."
"Zeus."
A voice as gentle as water echoed around them, causing the three gods to halt. They turned to see a goddess clad in elegant attire, her ultimate power ignited.
The goddess was Rhea, the Goddess of Time and one of the twelve main gods of the Titans. Her perfect visage bore a look of steadfastness, filled with a sense of helplessness. As the mother of the three gods, Rhea felt torn between her love for her husband and her children.
"Hades, we meet again."
"Poseidon, Zeus, this is our first meeting."
Rhea smiled, but her sons remained silent. They could easily launch a crusade against Cronus, yet confronting their mother made them hesitate. Even Hades, a time traveler who had fused two souls into one, felt the weight of this moment.
"Hehehe"
Rhea smiled softly, "You need not be nervous. Since I stand here, I am your enemy. Come, defeat your mother, and let us end this."
Poseidon and Zeus exchanged glances, grappling with the moral weight of harming their mother. Killing a father god was one thing, but a mother god was a burden none could bear.
Hades spoke calmly, "Mother, you've reached your limit. Why stand here?"
"Hehehe"
Rhea replied, "Indeed, I cannot hide it from you, Hades. I have reached my limit, so… this is how it must be."
With a final sigh, Rhea gradually transformed into a stone statue. The three gods recognized the change; when a goddess of time is deprived of her time, she becomes a living dead, existing without consciousness.
"What is this?!"
Zeus pondered, confused by the transformation.
Hades answered calmly, "It matters not. The matter of our mother is done. Let us move forward."
With that, Hades stepped ahead. Poseidon and Zeus followed silently, passing by Rhea's statue. As they left, the statue seemed to sense their departure, shedding a solitary tear.
Aside from Mnemosyne, the goddess of memory, the other ten Titan Lords had faced their end, and even Mnemosyne had severed her ultimate power. As a result, Cronus was at his weakest.
His authority was stripped away, and his ultimate power diminished. The once-supreme Titan king was now severely weakened, with fate pulling him down step by step.
The three gods walked slowly toward the temple's center, where the twelve main gods would normally gather, now the stage for a final showdown. Hades understood who had taken Rhea's time.
"World."
"Legitimate."
Whispering these words in his heart, Hades masked his true feelings, as if unaffected by the unfolding events. Yet, like Cronus ensnared in fate's web, he pondered whether he could break free from this cage, knowing the one with the power to slay gods was drawing near.