The Enlightenment

Phanes had settled into a quiet and simple existence. He passed the time hunting and swimming, enjoying the beauty of the islands to the West. He had long since given up hope of defeating his brother and saving The Three.

Phanes spent the morning horizontal, relaxing whilst listening to the sounds all around him. He loved the sounds of nature… a love inherited from his mother. He missed her dearly. But returning to her would mean facing Erebus. And that he couldn’t do.

His peaceful morning was interrupted by a familiar voice, “Hello, Phanes. I see you’ve settled nicely into your life of reclusion.”

“Moros? I wasn’t expecting to see you here… or ever really.” stuttered Phanes as he quickly got to his feet. “I was just wondering… You know, since IT happened… I was wanting to ask…”

“Out with it, Phanes. I may be immortal but I don’t have all day,” said Moros, exasperated.

Phanes turned to look her in the eye. He saw the seriousness of the situation and it triggered in him a quiet confidence. He stood, straighter than before and asked “is Celestia really doomed? Are we doomed? Is it really the end of the Protogenoi?”

“Not all is yet lost. For Celestia can be saved and the might of the Protogenoi restored. But as time passes, the probability of success falls and falls.”

“What can we do to stop it? How can it be prevented?” cried Phanes.

“Not WE, Phanes. YOU. It is you, and only you who can save Celestia,” said Moros, staring deep into Phanes.

“Me? But how… How can I defeat my brother? He’s too strong!”

“Physical strength is not the only strength, dear child. You must find your inner strength. For within you lies limitless power. The only question remaining… is do you dare to unleash it?” And with that, Moros was gone.

[Later]

Phanes, dazed from his encounter with Moros, wanders the island, trying to make sense of what had been said. How can he possibly win?

As he pondered, he ambled into a clearing where Chronos and I were waiting for him. “Chronos, Moirai, what are you doing here?” asked Phanes.

“We have allowed you your time to grieve and to brood, but we, and the universe itself are out of time,” said Chronos morosely. “The imprisonment of The Three is far more dire than you could possibly imagine.”

“What do you mean? Worse for who? For Celestia?” stuttered Phanes, visibly scared.

“My dear boy, this goes far above the survival of Celestia,” warned Chronos. “The cosmos itself is at stake!”