The Death of Time

Game...

In between inspiration and realization…

Once upon a Time Ananke had wanted to visit India as a tourist, and Chronos was shocked to see the ancient city through her fresh eyes. And with a mortal nose as well, which was a wholly unique experience that the fallen Titan wasn’t enjoying. Ananke seemed oblivious to it, a few moments of adjustment and her mortal body carried on. The air was heavy against her skin, so much moisture in the air that ‘nake’s hair started to feel sodden and yet somehow also frizzy. With absent ease she braided it out of the way. As Herald guided her from yet another airport and through an impossibly crowded market place, Chronos took the opportunity to test his control of their shared body. Making sure that no one spotted it, Chronos snatched at a random item from one of the stalls, fingers feeling a rather thick branch of incense that he then spiraled into Ananke’s hair to help hold the weight of it up off their neck. Ananke was fully cognizant of his actions but she didn’t try to call him to heed, instead she seemed faintly amused and exasperated; as if knowing that his theft wasn’t an act of greed so much one of innocent selfishness. He’d wanted to do something and had never even though about not taking it.

Your morals have never applied to me in the past mortal. Chronos pointed out the simple truth of being a God. They were only able to hold each other accountable; no other forces stood a chance against them.

And yet now part of you is wondering how we could make good on it. There was no special inflection to her tone but Chronos could feel the soft smile on her lips that betrayed her humour.

“How much further?” Ananke asked out loud, not out of impatience but simple curiosity to see what was common walking distance in this city. She could sight line a glacier cliff face in moments and yet ‘nake suspected that she could very easily become lost here. There were just so many people, so many twists and turns. Ananke hadn’t realized that she had a North American and Western European bias when it came to thinking of city infrastructure but India was truly another world entirely.

“The arranged guide will collect us shortly. We will have the honour of meeting an avatara of Lakshmi. The Goddess of Prosperity seems to be eager to bring us in to help. And she made reference to meeting you before.” Herald’s tone was almost a question; he was curious but trying not to press.

“We were psychically pulled from my flesh and brought before Adi Parashakti, the Tridevi and the Trimurti but I don’t think I caught any of their personal names.” Ananke’s reply was honest and only Chronos caught the faintest taste of sarcasm to her answer.

I was impressed by emotionless, stoic Ananke. But I LIKE full throttle you, work that sarcasm. Chronos couldn’t help but cajole.

I see someone’s been sifting through modern colloquialisms again. Ananke obliged in response.

“Lakshmi is the Goddess of Prosperity, not just in a monetary sense but in all aspects of life. She is part of the Tridevi so you did indeed meet her in your astral trekking.” Herald continued, no longer able to determine when Ananke and Chronos were ‘talking’, and disturbed by the fact that he couldn’t determine which personality was controlling the body. It was only adding to the Immortal Ambassador’s disquiet, that pervading sense that something wasn’t right. At the same time Herald doubted that sense of wrong because it could just be his own desire to break free of this unending life. He’d done his duty for so long, what if Time was supposed to end and he was interfering with the natural order of things. He should tell his comrades his loyalty might be in question, it was the only honourable thing to do.

“Ananke, there’s something I…” Herald turned to say but stopped short when he saw their guide. It seemed that the Pantheon truly wanted to ease their access; Lakshmi herself awaited them just at the next alleyway. The regular mortals passing by saw nothing remarkable about the women standing there, but Herald and Ananke couldn’t miss the Immortal glow about her.