Enter Acacius

When Kronos woke up, he noticed he was in an infirmary, torso heavily bandaged. It was a small room, with only a few beds. He winced as pain raced throughout his body. He didn’t think he had an ounce of strength left on his body. Blazes. I can hardly move; I’m as weak as the day I was born.

“ So you’re awake,” came the cold, calculating voice of Calypso. Kronos turned his head to the left to see her standing in the doorway. The Lord Commander strode into the infirmary and glanced at a nurse wearing a simple gray dress and leather boots who was writing some notes on a chalkboard. 

“ Will he be able to keep fighting? He better be able to. I just bought the armor I’m wearing and I’d hate to have to get his blood on it,” She said.

“ With enough rest, he should recover all of his Mana.” The nurse stared at Kronos with mild curiosity. “ That was quite the display, Half-Breed. Odysseus spent the better part of a decade undefeated in the arena. To think, he was defeated by your hand.”

“ That’s enough,” Calypso said firmly. “ You may leave now.” With a bow at the waist, the nurse exited the infirmary. Calypso and Kronos stared at the other, the Pure-Blood, carefully regarding the Half-Breed. Kronos tensed, waiting to see what she wanted. He doubted he could put up much of a fight if she were here for revenge for what he did.

“ Can you stand?” She asked. Nodding, Kronos threw back the cover and swung his legs over the side of the bed, shakingly standing. Before he could utter a word, Calypso rushed him, smashing him against the wall, arm pressed firmly into his chest. Kronos tried to push back, but he was too weak. Calypso snarled and grabbed his neck with her right hand with her left arm still against his chest.

“ Enough games, Half-Breed!” She snarled, her eyes bearing into his like fire. “ We have known each other since we were children! I know for a fact your lightning has no color! Yet this is the second time I witnessed the contrary.” Her face was inches from his, “ I don’t care how smart you are; there’s no way you could have defeated my champion like you did unless you were hiding something! What are you playing at?!” 

Kronos tried to free himself from her grip but Calypso grabbed him by the hair and banged his head against the wall. 

“ You were never skilled at anything practical! You rarely train, Odysseus should have crushed you like a big,” she hated her teeth at his throat. “ And must infuriating of all, what really makes me want to wretch, you offered mercy to him. You’re still as soft hearted as you were when we were children!”

“ At least I never killed someone I called a friend,” Kronos said, fixing her with a cold glare. 

“ What do you mean by that?” She asked, her voice dangerously low.

“ You know exactly what I’m-“ Kronos was cut off by Calypso driving a knee into his stomach. Kronos choked and fell to his knees as Calypso stepped back, releasing him for her hold. With a growl, she sent him crashing through the infirmary wall with a kick to the jaw. Kronos grunted and tried to get up, but Calypso stepped on his right hand. 

“ You just had to mention that. For someone who likes to learn, you sure are foolish,” Calypso mocked. Kronos glared at her, trying to summon any power he had in reserve. He focused harder than he ever could,desperate for just a bolt of lightning. Ah! My eye! Kronos closed his eyes, gritting his teeth. His right eye felt like it was being ripped out. The pain echoed throughout his head. Calypso stepped back and demanded a guard attend her at once.

“ Take the bastard to a cell in the dungeons,” she said once a soldier made its way to her. A couple of hours later, Kronos found himself in a cell that had just enough room for him to lay down with a small pile of straw for him to sleep on. There was barely enough light from the nearby lanterns to see. He winced and placed a hand on his ribs. Dust and cinders! I think she broke something! 

A set of footsteps approaching his cell caused him to look up from the floor. The one called Thora stood in front of his cell, keys in hand, sneer on her face. 

“ Well, if it isn’t the new celebrity,” she said, disdain in her voice. “ You probably don’t recall my name, do you?” Kronos just shook his head, too tired, sore, and hungry to venture a guess.

“ It’s Thora, but I wouldn’t expect someone so big and important to know the name of someone as insignificant as I,” she said with a mocking bow. “ You are the incredible warrior who slew the almighty Odysseus after all.”

“ Did you come here just to mock me for your pleasure?!” Kronos demanded. Thora chuckled and held up the keys. 

“ I was going to offer to let you out and join the rest of us for dinner, but now, I’m not sure. Say please, and I’ll let you out. Go on, be a good little boy and say please,” she said with a large smile. 

This smug little dirt-licking bull putter! Kronos wanted to refuse to play her game, but the grumble of his stomach convinced him it wouldn’t be wise to do so. With a resigned sigh, he looked at the ground again. 

“ Please,” he muttered.

“ What was that? I couldn’t hear you, hero.” Thora mocked. 

“ Please!” Kronos said louder. 

“ Please what? You need to be specific,” She said, clearly taking pleasure in tormenting him. 

“ Just let me out!” Kronos demanded, losing his patience. 

“ Oooh, I don’t think I will now, since you want to be rude,” Thora said. She made a big show of beginning to walk away. “ Last chance to get out.” Kronos felt his hands ball into fists and started to shake in anger. Damn it.

“ Please let me out,” he said through gritted teeth. With a snicker, Thora stuck the key in the door and opened them. She opened it wide and stepped aside. 

“ Come on out, hero. Let me show you where the food is,” she said. Kronos stood and followed Thora out of the cell, eyeing her warily.

“ How did you come in possession of the keys?” He asked. Thora flashed him a smug look as she walked in front of him. 

“ Calypso has named me acting warden, if you will. I can’t say I’m surprised; I am only one of two Abnormal warriors ever to push her in battle. Arai, of course, is the other. Oh, I know you were able to wound her, but that’s only because she let you most likely,” she said, mockery thick in her voice. Kronos ignored her as they both walked down a thin hallway towards the sounds of loud and rowdy shouting. 

They came to a large room full of men and women sitting at three large wooden tables on both sides, food piled in front of them. There was a large hearth fire behind the tables. Against the walls was clutter that looked like it hadn’t been touched in years. The entire room was filthy, with so much dirt on the floor it covered one’s foot. The room fell silent as they stared at Kronos and Thora.

“ You eat as much as you like; just don’t waste anything. Or you’ll have me to deal with,” Thora said, narrowing her eyes before waving him away. Kronos curled his lip, deciding there and then he didn’t care for her. He walked to one of the tables and grabbed a cracked bronze plate, and grabbed a roast turkey leg, grapes, roast potatoes, and grapes. He then sat down at a spot with no one nearby to bother him. 

He began to eat, not remembering his last meal ravenously as the previous commotion resumed. He didn’t like how everyone had stared at him. The stares reminded him of the judging looks the village used to give him. One thing he had learned from his upbringing was that gaining one’s attention only brought misfortune. He was soon interrupted from his meal when Arai sat across from him.

“ I thought she took you away,” she said. “ Good to see she’s not tired of you yet,” Kronos raised an eyebrow as he poured himself a goblet of wine.

“ What do you mean by that?” He asked. Arai tilted her head. 

“ Curious. I would have thought you knew. You are from the same village aren’t you?”

“ We are but we’re not exactly close,” Kronos said, not wanting to get into his history with the Lord Commander. Arai studied him a moment longer then shrugged.

“ Whenever Calypso finds someone that catches her attention, she whisks them away. Those she selects are never heard from again. I’m not sure what becomes of them, but knowing how she is, I think that is for the best,” Arai said. 

“ What is the purpose for all this?I was sure she’d execute us, why are we here?” Kronos asked. Arai sighed and drummed her fingers on the table

“ I’m afraid I don’t know. I became well acquainted with her in the war but this is unfamiliar to me. This is rather odd for her. This is quite puzzling,” Arai muttered. 

“ I’m not fond of gambling but if I were, I’d say this is all one big game to her,” Kronos said darkly. “ I’ve heard tales of what she does to her least favorite prisoners. Perhaps she means to extend our suffering before we die.”

“ Do you really think that?” Arai asked.

“ I do. Calypso takes great delight in killing. It’s one of the reasons I never want to associate with her. I detest the spilling of blood unless it’s the last possible option. Even then I take no joy in it.”

“ A very rare mindset for your kind, no offense of course,” Arai observed. “ I must admit I’m surprised. The Sintar Dragon Tribe have a reputation of being quite barbaric in nature. Isn’t it true your brethren hold contests of how many enemies you slay during battle?”

“ It is, but there is a reason for it. We are not bloodthirsty for the sake of being bloodthirsty. Our gods demand the blood of those who oppose us as sacrifice. The more you kill, the more celebrated you are once you reach Takira,” Kronos rushed to explain. He didn’t want Arai to think his kind were mindless killers. “ You can surely understand. It is not too unlike the beliefs your people hold.”

“ You know of my people’s beliefs do you?“ Arai asked, narrowing her eyes.

“ Only the basics,” Kronos said. “ I know you believe dying in battle is a Kitsune’s true purpose. Those who die a true warrior's death are forever celebrated in songs and legend. Such as the Ballad of Keyori, an example of such incredible prowess my master used it as an example in my Schola days.”

Arai smiled and dipped her head slightly. “ You are well educated Kronos. I’m impressed.” The conversation was interrupted by Thora coming beside Arai and dropping an arm around her shoulder, her right hand holding a goblet of wine.

“ Come on Arai, join the party!“ she exclaimed. By her demeanor Kronos deduced this was not her first goblet. 

“‘ We were having a conversation,” he told her, trying to hide his annoyance at her rude interruption. 

“ I wasn’t talking to you, Scale-Back!” Kronos froze as anger filled every inch of his body. No. No she didn’t. Arai was staring at her, mouth agape, eyes wide. Before he knew what he was doing, Kronos had thrown his wine into Thora’s face. She slowly wiped the wine away and fixed Kronos with a murderous stare. The tension was so thick you couldn’t cut it with a blade. With a shriek of anger, Thora launched herself at Kronos.

The two began to brawl on the dirty floor, catching the attention of the others who cheered them on gleefully. Kronos tried to get Thora into a chokehold but the Augar Half-Breed was too strong. She managed to slip out of his grasp and planted a knee on his chest. She reared back and punched Kronos in the face a few times. Kronos brought up his arms to defend himself from any more blows. The punches to his face felt as if he had been struck by a war hammer. 

“ Enough!” Came the command, causing everyone to halt. Four of Calypso’s soldiers rushed to break up the fight, throwing Thora off Kronos and hauling him to his feet. “ You!” one yelled harshly, pointing at Kronos. “ Hope you’ve enjoyed your last meal. You’re due in the arena. Now!”

“ What?!” Kronos demanded. “ I already fought in the arena!”

“ Mistress Calypso wants to see you fight again. Now move!” The soldier demanded, pointing at him. Kronos growled but didn’t argue further. As he allowed himself to be led away, he gave Thora a withering glare that she returned. I look forward to taking care of her. He placed his fingers on his right cheek. Although I hate to admit it, she has one hell of a right hook.

For the second time that day, Kronos found himself standing in the arena. Whereas his battle with Odysseus had plenty of screaming spectators, the stands were mostly empty this chilly night. Aside from Calypso sitting on her throne, a few groups of well-dressed men and women were there. From their attire, Kronos could tell they were nobles. Calypso shot Kronos an angry look as if to say to him he better die quickly or else. Kronos’s attention was then turned to the tunnel, where he sensed approaching energy. This aura… why does it feel familiar, like I know who it belongs to?

A 6ft 3 man with silver hair fashioned into a Mohawk wearing gold earrings walked to meet Kronos in the center of the arena. Kronos gasped when he saw him.  Zorvun’s Beard! He looks just like me! He wore a bronze breastplate made from many layers of smaller metal pieces, mimicking the scales of a dragon. It covered everything from the neck down. The upper arms were protected by pointed, half covering rerebraces which sat well under the shoulderplates. 

The lower arms were covered by vambraces which had a dragon shaped metal ornament piece on each outer side. The upper legs were covered by rounded, half covering cuisses. The lower legs were protected by greaves which have an intricately crafted sigil attached to each outer side.

“ This is curious,” Acacius said, his voice deeper than Kronos’s. “ You and I look alike in appearance. Were it not for our differing hair styles I’d propose one of us is a clone of the other. What do they call you?”

“ I am known as Digamma Kronos.”

“ Well met Kronos. I am called Digamma Acacius. Former palace guard under the employ of High King Zeus and High Queen Hera. It is real shame we are to fight for the entertainment of that she-devil, but I look forward to sharing the battlefield with you,” Acacius aid, dipping his head.

“ As do I,” Kronos replied, dipping his head in return. “ May the greater warrior prevail.” The sound of a gong interrupted them, signaling the start of the fight. Acacius was the first to respond, beginning to power up. A vortex of dark green fire surrounded him. Kronos responded by powering up as well, becoming surrounded by a vortex of white lightning. The two auras crashed into each other, causing sparks to fly. After a few moments, the two auras died down, and the two warriors flew at each other.

Kronos connected first, a punch to the jaw. He stepped back when Acacius responded in kind. Focusing his Mana into his hands and feet, Kronos struck him again. Acacius stepped back a few steps before kneeing Kronos in the chest. Kronos choked, his eyes bulging as he could tell Acacius too was channeling his Mana in his strikes. Kronos and Acacius struck each other again and again, neither willing to back down.

Kronos grunted as Acacius nailed him with a hard strike to the temple. He aimed a kick at his chin, which Acacius ducked. Thinking fast, Kronos spun on his foot, catching Acacius with a roundhouse kick. Kronos smiled at the satisfying cracking sound he heard. The smile was soon gone, replaced with a grimace by a palm strike to his nose. Blood began to flow down into his mouth. He spat to the side and met an oncoming fist of Acacius with one of his own. 

The two stared at each other for a moment before Kronos ducked down and elbowed Acacius in the stomach, driving the air out of him. Kronos followed it up by sweeping his legs and attempted a kick to his chin, but Acacius moved his head out of the way. Kronos swore as he felt an elbow slam into his side. Acacius followed it up by standing up and cracked Kronos’s left cheekbone with a swift punch. Thinking fast, Kronos dodged an uppercut and retaliated with a haymaker to the side of his head.

Calypso watched the melee battle with mild interest. “ These two are similar in terms of fighting style. Almost too similar.”

“ Enough of this warm-up. What do you say we get serious?” Acacius asked Kronos, conjuring another vortex of hot green fire. Kronos smirked and conjured his vortex of white lightning. He grimaced as he felt the burning sensation in his right eye once more, only more intense. He put a hand to it, the pain receding after a few seconds. 

He was soon sent flying by a kick from Acacius. He was able to land on his feet and flew back at Acacius, forming two orbs of white lightning on his hands. He threw one of them at Acacius that vanished. He threw the other one as well. As the second orb got closer to Acacius, the first one reappeared behind him. Acacius found himself unable to dodge before both orbs of lightning collided with him.

Searing pain in his right eye caused Kronos to back away instead of following up like he wanted. He put a hand over his eye once more. Why does this keep happening? What is going on? His thoughts were interrupted by finding himself suddenly unable to move. Dark green flame held him in place, the best being like nothing Kronos had ever experienced. Acacius chuckled as he walked up to Kronos, his armor covered in dents. 

“‘ Having trouble moving? A nice little trick of mine, I prevent my opponent from moving free by entrapping them in my flame.” Acacius cracked his knuckles and channeled Mana into his fists before raining down lefts and rights upon Kronos again and again until his face was covered in cuts and blood. I’ve got to break free! Kronos thought desperately. He tried to raise his Mana with no other ideas, hoping it would be enough to free him.

Acacius stepped back and felt pressure like none he had ever experienced coming from this other Half-Breed. He watched as he continued to power up, eyes wide as the green flame he had holding Kronos in place evaporated. The ground began to shake, cracks appearing in the arena walls. The white lightning of Kronos slowly turning silver. Before Acacius could react, he was sent flying from a brutal punch, crashing into the stands. 

Spectators screamed and fled as Acacius landed hard into the stands, Kronos close behind him. Acacius leaped to his feet and narrowly dodged a lighting-covered fist. He dodged a couple more attacks, including a lighting-covered kick that caused a mighty gust of wind to blow towards Calypso. She grimaced and narrowed her eyes. All this wind just from one kick from a mediocre at best Half-Breed?!

Kronos caught Acacius in the stomach with a punch, causing him to stumble back. After several more successful land strikes, Kronos’s arms became engulfed in violet lightning. Before Acacius could react, Kronos sent him flying with a strike. Kronos flew after him and sent him crashing back into the arena. Kronos floated in the air and extended his arms towards the night sky, firing the lightning upward then flying after it, letting the lightning engulf him. Then, in the blink of an eye, Kronos charged into the arena engulfed by a mass of violet lightning, causing the arena to become engulfed in a blinding white light.

Calypso shielded her face, looking away from the blinding light gritting her teeth. This battle is getting too out of hand. I should step in. Once the light died down, Calypso looked back at the arena; her eyes widened in astonishment. The arena floor had been turned into a crater several feet deep. Kronos staggered to his feet and looked down at a pile of rubble Acacius lay under. By his faint breathing, Kronos could tell he was still alive, but before he could make another move, the pain in his eye flared up again, causing him to cover it with a hand. 

A second later, a tentacle made of green fire grabbed him by the leg, lifted him in the air, and slammed him on the ground. Acacius groaned and slowly got to his feet, his armored breastplate hanging off his torso. 

“ Impressive. I thought I was a goner,” he said before swinging Kronos around and slamming him hard on the ground. With a smirk, Acacius swung Kronos into the wall. Then, moving in circles, they dragged Kronos alongside the wall, lifted him in the air, and slammed him on the ground. Then he began to gather Mana, creating a massive orb of green fire on his outstretched hands. 

“ Farewell, Kronos. It has been my honor to defeat you.” He said, releasing the attack. Kronos was soon engulfed by the attack, sending him crashing deeper into the ground. Acacius cautiously walked over to his motionless body to see the rise and fall of Kronos’s chest. “ Still alive, are you? Not for long,” he said, raising a hand in the eye but stopped when a sharp, searing pain entered his left eye. “ Not again!” He growled and stumbled back. 

Kronos’s eyes fluttered open; he was in agony, smoke flowed from his body. He groaned and fought to sit up, his right eye adding to his pain. Acacius looked at him, seemingly unable to focus due to the pain in his own eye. Then, at the same time, both Kronos and Acacius opened their respective eye, except it looked drastically different. Both of them gasped as they stared at each other, looking at their eye.

 “ It can’t be,” they both said at the same time. “ Ryuijin.”

Calypso’s ears perked up at that. Immediately she sat up, mouth agape. Impossible! The Ryuijin. The Tribal Trait of the Sintar Dragon tribe, the ability that made their race the most feared of all Abnormal tribes. But this is impossible! Only Pure-Bloods awaken this ability. Both of them are half-human; they shouldn’t be able to use it! 

Kronos stiffly got to his feet, still looking at Acacius. The two eyed each other, unsure of how to proceed. Kronos studied the eye of Acacius. The white of the eye was now black with a golden pupil and dragon claw-shaped mark located at the top right of the eye. The claw towards the pupil, the tip of the claw stopping right at the pupil. Before either of them could say anything, Calypso flew through the air and landed on between them. Aside from the three dragons, the arena was empty.

“ Both of you managed to awaken our kind’s most potent power,” she said, eyeing them both. She closed her eyes for a moment, and when she opened them again, both Acacius and Kronos were shocked to see the Ryuijin in both of her eyes, except with a dragon claw shaped mark at the top right, top left, bottom left and the bottom right, the fully evolved Ryuijin. The tips of the claws stopped right at the golden pupil.

 “ I never would have thought a Half-Breed could ever awaken the Ryuijin, much less two. To my knowledge, you two are the first in Sintar history to ever do so.” She fixed both eyes on Kronos. “ Question is, how did you two unlock it?” She paused, lifting her face to the night sky.

 “ Hmmm…. Maybe.” She looked at Kronos again. “What was the name of that human mother of yours again?”

“ Ino. Ino Ishtar,” Kronos told her, unsure why she asked. Acacius’s eyes widened at that, but he said nothing. 

“ And what was the name of the dragon who sired you?” Calypso asked. 

“ I believe his name was Caelus ,” Kronos responded. “ The one known as The Dragon of the Beyond. Supposedly he was from the Western half of the world.” Nobody said anything at first. Rain drops began to sprinkle. After a moment, Acacius spoke.

 “ Those were the names of my parents as well.” Kronos and Calypso fixed their gazes in him, mouths slightly agape. 

“ What did you just say?” Kronos asked.

“ Caelus was my father. My mother, who died in childbirth, was known as Ino,” Acacius said.

“ Hold on,” Calypso said, holding up a hand. “ When it comes to Half-Breeds, most human women are only capable of birthing one. Any more are just too much of a strain. Kronos, I remember hearing about how your mother died in childbirth. And both of your energies are similar, very similar. And you both awakened your Ryuijin at the same time, something common for siblings to do, especially twins,” she said, noting how alike both Kronos and Acacius looked. “ This can’t be a coincidence. You two must be brothers.”

Brothers?! Kronos thought, shocked, staring at Acacius. I have a brother?! He has to admit, it was the most likely explanation. He and Acacius could at the very least pass for being related. Acacius studied him in turn and scratched his head.

“ If we are brothers, why didn’t we grow up together? It doesn’t make sense. Why would I grow up in the palace of King Zeus and Queen Hera and Kronos in the village?”

“ Maybe that’s what your father wanted,” Calypso said slowly. “ After all, I’be seen more winters than Kronos; I remember hearing whispers about him. Normally we wouldn’t have raised Half-Breed babies. But Kronos was an exception. From what I overheard, a dragon, claiming to be from the Western Lands who was several times stronger than Lord Zeus, asked the Village Justicar to look after Kronos.”

“ I know a little about this Caelus,” Acacius said. “ There wasn’t much information on him in the library, but there was some. He has another son older than either of us Kronos, by the name of Darius. It’s unknown who his mother is but she was a Pure-Blood, so I guess that’d make him my, I mean our half brother. Supposedly he went back west with Caelus.

Allegedly Caelus was indeed powerful, so strong he supposedly scared High King Zeus with his mere presence alone.From what I’ve heard, he’s one of the few dragons in the west who still has sentience. Supposedly he’s a direct descendant of Zurvon. That’s all the information I know about him.” Kronos’s mind was reeling; he had a twin brother, he was the son of a dragon stronger than the high king?! This was all too much. Just too much.

“ Now the question is, what should I do with you two?” Calypso pondered out loud. “ Having the two of you fight in my arena now would just be irresponsible. You two, while impressive for mere Half-Breeds, are far from the strongest of my prisoners. You could possibly die after all, and you two have become too valuable for me to allow that to happen. For now, you two need to rest. The Ryuijin is quite straining; after all, it takes a steady amount of Mana to use.”

Before Kronos and Acacius could say anything, Calypso chopped them both at the back of the neck, knocking them both out. Calypso sighed and lifted her face to the sky once again. The rain began to fall steadily. For now, I’ll place them in my private bunker. Then I’ll go from there. To think, two weak Half-Breeds could be the answer I have been searching for. I never expected anything like this from the likes of these two. She looked down at Kronos and faintly smiled. Especially him.

 “ You always were an odd one,” she said aloud.” Too odd. If High Queen Hera knew about you, it wouldn’t end well. Do as I say, and I'll make sure she doesn't get her hands on you."