Chapter 3 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 onto the infirmary and glanced at a nurse wearing a simple gray dress and leather boots who was writing some notes on the whiteboard.

" Will he be able to keep fighting? He better be able to. Instead of checking on this Half-Breed, I could be watching the other battles right now," She said.

" He should. 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. Achilles 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 bore 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. The other time it turned violet." 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! How did you obtain Aporrofisi."

What in blazes are you going on about?!" Kronos demanded, trying in vain to break free from her grip.

" You know what I mean, you accursed urchin!" Calypso yelled in his face, droplets of spit landing on him. " You were never skilled at anything! Yet you have one of the most sought-after abilities of all Abnormals!" Her voice lowered. " Aporrofisi. The ability to fuse your power with the powers of another and use them as your own. I spent my life in search of it. How could you, the least of all Abnormals, have such a legendary technique at your disposal?!"

Kronos said nothing, searching for an answer. He didn't know; he hadn't even a guess. He didn't fully understand what that power was; he hadn't been able to call forth that Violet lightning again for ages, only managing to do so for the first time in his battle with Calypso. And now, he had somehow done it again.

" I don't know. I really don't. It just happens," he muttered.

" Nothing 'just happens' with you, Kronos!" Calypso yelled before 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.

" Come on, Half-Breed. Show me that dormant power. Prove yourself worthy of the Sintar dragons. Kronos glared at her, trying to summon any power he had in reserve. Instead, he felt a burning sensation in his right eye. It was so intense he had to close his eyes. Calypso stepped back with a growl, looking at a guard. " Take the bastard to a cell in the dungeons."

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 was smarting from the blows Calypso had dealt him. 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 big bad warrior who slew the Almighty Achilles 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, say please," she said with a large smile.

This smug little banshee! 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. 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.

" 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. After pouring wine in a glob, he went to the far end of the table and sat down.

He began to eat, not remembering his last meal ravenously. He was soon interrupted 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 paused his meal to look at her.

" What do you mean?" He asked. Arai gave him a friendly smile.

" Whenever Calypso finds someone interesting, she has her guard grab them in the dead of night. 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?" Kronos asked carefully. Arai sighed and shrugged.

" I'm afraid I don't know. I only served with her in the war. You are from the same tribe as her, and if what I've heard is true, you two are childhood friends."

" I wouldn't go as far as to say we were friends. Half-Breeds do not have companions. We were training partners, I suppose, is the best term. Although I suppose saying she used me as a training dummy would be more accurate," Kronos said, folding his hands.

" I see. And is that why you're sitting by yourself?" Arai asked.

" I prefer my own company," Kronos responded coldly.

" Point taken," Arai said with a dip of her head before getting up and walking away. Kronos turned back to his food, suddenly not hungry. Her energy felt like it had engulfed him; her power was so vast, it was all he could focus on. He pushed his plate away and stood up to leave. As he was attempting to leave, Thora stood in front of him, arms folded.

" Where do you think you're going?" She demanded.

" None of your business," Kronos retorted. He was about to walk past her when a punch to his jaw sent him skidding across the floor, causing everyone else to take notice. All their yelling and laughter went dead silent as they watched with interest. Kronos glared at Thora but smirked.

" Oh, I'm going to enjoy this," he said preprint to retaliate.

" Same here," Thora said, cracking her knuckles. However, two of Calypso's soldiers entered the dining area before any more punches could be thrown.

" 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 walked towards the soldiers, flashing Thora a withering glare that she returned. I look forward to taking care of her. He grabbed the spot where Thora had punched him. 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 Achilles 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 came into view. 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 and ending at the groin, but the shoulder area was fairly exposed to allow for more movement space. He wore a white martial arts gi bottom with brown leather boots. He had amber eyes, a jagged scar over his left one.

" My name is Acacius, former guard of the royal palace of the Lord of Dragons, Lord Zeus. I have been tasked to slay you. I was promised to be set free from my imprisonment for a crime I did not commit. Forgive me, my fellow half-human, half Sintar dragon." Kronos was taken aback; he could tell by his scent this one, too, was a Half-Breed. But how?! I thought I was the only one the Sintar would tolerate. Yet, one was permitted to serve as a guard in the palace? Interesting.

" Well, met Acacius. My name is Kronos. A real shame we are to fight for the entertainment of that she-devil, but I look forward to sharing the battlefield with you," Kronos said, dipping his head.

" As do I," Acacius said, dipping his head in return. " May the greater warrior prevail."

" Begin," came the order from Calypso, causing a gong to sound. Acacius was the first to respond, beginning to power up. A vortex of dark fire surrounding 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. Extend the arm that contained the other one; he slammed it into Acacius. As he did, the fiend orb reappeared behind Acacius, crashing into him. He roared in agony, trapped between two spheres of lightning.

Searing pain in his right eye caused Kronos to let up and back away, 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 violet. 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 ultimate technique of the Sintar Dragon tribe, the ability that made their race the most feared of all Abnormal tribes. But this is impossible! Only those with blood tied to our founder, Zurvon, can awaken this ability. And 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 reached fro the pupil to the eye, the top 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 stopping right at the golden pupil. " I never would have thought you two were capable of that. Of course, I was born with this gift; I do come from a family of nobles, after all. Hence why mine are in their intermediate stage." She fixed both eyes on Kronos. " Question is, how did you two unlock it. What was that human mother of yours name again?"

" Ino," Kronos muttered. Acacius's eyes widened at that, but he said nothing.

" Right, so there's no way she could have blood ties to Zurvon," Calypso said. " And what was the name of the dragon who sired you?"

" 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 as it began to rain. 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'm a few years older than Kronos; I remember hearing people talking 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 headman of our village 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 Zeus with his mere presence alone. According to him, he's one of the few dragons in the west who still has sentience. And according to him, he's a direct descendant of Zurvon. That's all the information I could find on him." Kronos's mind was reeling; he had a twin brother, he was the son of a dragon stronger than his 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. 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 Queen Hera knew about you, it wouldn't end well for you. Do as I say, and I'll make sure she doesn't get her hands on you."