Escape from the Mainland

The silence in the palace was deafening. No one dared speak. No one dared move. Erebus erupted into a devilish laugh, piercing the deathly quiet. He howled in delight at his success and turned to embrace Aether as they celebrated their victory.

The Protogenoi were stunned. The unthinkable had happened. The Three had been bested. As the shock subsided, the reality of the situation sunk in and they began to cry out in protest. “SILENCE!” roared Erebus, his eyes wide and intense. “You will do well to hold your tongue" he threatened, "now, bow before the new rulers of Celestia.”

Sensing the helplessness of the situation, all but one of the Protogenoi bowed their heads. Gaia and Eros wept, as their quiet sobs mourning the loss of their husbands echoed around the Palace. Chronos and I bowed and swiftly left to return to the islands to the West from whence they came. Moros turned to leave and paused. “Take heed, for your actions have set into motion the fall of Celestia. If you carry on down this path, the Protogenoi are doomed,” she said gravely before joining Chronos and I.

Phanes, the only Protogenoi not to bow his head, stood to face Erebus. “Brother, what have you done? Why have you acted so recklessly?” asked Phanes gravely.

“I warned you of their weakness. Look how easy it was to take power from them! Those that cannot hold the throne, don’t deserve it. Join us, brother. Together, us four will be unstoppable,” replied Erebus.

“I cannot join this fool's errand. You heard Moros, your actions have doomed us. But it’s not too late, you don’t have to go any further down this path.”

“Little brother, it is you, not I, who is the fool. You were a disappointment to father and you’re a disappointment to me. You are weak. Too weak to take action when it is necessary; too weak to seize the opportunity we were born for; and too weak to be called my brother! I no longer wish to see your pathetic face. Begone. Leave this land. I am done with you.”

“Brother, I implore you to see reason…”

“BEGONE! I will not ask a third time!”

Phanes, seeing the madness in his brother's eyes, turns to Aether and Pontus, hoping at the very least to convince them of this madness. But Phanes is no fool. He sees the truth when it is in front of him. Defeated, he turns and leaves.

[Later]

Having fled the mainland for the islands to the West, Phanes was distraught. Sitting, with his head in his hands, he sobbed to himself. He wished he was stronger. He wished he was braver. Why didn’t he stop them? Why was he so pathetic?

“There is nothing weak about the way you acted.”

Startled by the voice, Phanes looked up and asked "who said that?"

“It is I,” said Chronos as he appeared before Phanes, “you must know that there was nothing that could be done to stop your brother. I had known for quite some time he held anger towards your father, but even I didn’t foresee this.”

“If I was stronger I could have stopped him. I could have saved The Three! Then, maybe the Protogenoi wouldn’t be doomed.”

“Perhaps… but what has passed, has passed. You weren’t able to stop them. You must accept that. The real question is… what will you do now?”