Chapter 11: Time favors the wise and the young.
Isis eventually returned to her temple with the help of Hermes' powers.
She didn't have teleportation powers, so to move between worlds she needed to be summoned.
She gently moved one of the torches that was attached to the wall and a secret entrance gradually became present, allowing her to go deeper and deeper.
The temple in appearance was not large, but when its secret entrances were exposed the gods could easily circulate in its basements and corridors.
That way, they could keep themselves completely hidden and safe from humans.
It was a fact that the gods in Egypt coexisted with humans, surrounding them and watching them closely.
The priests were his eyes, but the prayers of his people were what allowed them to act and exist, being summoned in the face of human need.
Isis without much delay arrived at her place and finally removed the paper signed by Hela and Ina, that was much bigger than a contract, it was a promise and an irrevocable agreement.
The Egyptian gods sat side by side on their own thrones, attentive to any call.
When Isis made herself present automatically, everyone looked at her full of curiosity and conflicting feelings.
Many gods within that place could not bear the idea of accepting or living with the Greeks.
Mainly knowing that through the support of Ares they had their lands invaded and their people dominated.
"Why are you helping those bastards?!"
"Ina is the girl who invented the fruit of mortality... If she manages to regain her destiny, we have a strong chance of winning her as an ally."
Isis smiled towards Set and handed the paper to Thoth.
Set turned his face away in dissatisfaction and sighed heavily.
That idea wouldn't be a bad one, but it still didn't please him.
Thoth silently took the paper for himself and looked at it, soon saw that Isis had also signed and there was nothing more to be done.
And in a simple prayer he transformed that insignificant piece of paper into a beautiful papyrus made of threads of gold and silver.
Set was the god of deserts, storm and violence, his temper was bad, and his attitudes impulsive, but he couldn't do much against Isis.
She still had the last word with them.
The same rule served for Tot, god of wisdom and writing, when seeing that Isis was directly intervening he could only agree quietly.
Isis completely victorious smiled and took the paper back.
She walked into a room full of chests and deposited the papyrus in one of them.
As she turns to leave and returns to the throne room, she is faced with Maat, goddess of truth, justice and wisdom.
The goddess stared at Isis full of curiosity.
"Are you afraid to tell them the truth?"
Isis was silent for a few moments and simply nodded in agreement.
"I know you're doing this out of pity for Ina... The marriage was your suggestion to Zeus..."
Isis who had nothing to say, could not lie in front of the goddess of truth, all she could do was listen as if her conscience was speaking aloud.
Maat, who always remained serious, finally managed a shy smile.
"... I don't believe that was fair, they didn't even have a chance to choose their destinations, but curiously you did it right..."
Isis stared at Maat filled with surprise and confusion. "What did you say?"
"Sometimes fate is full of traps, don't you think?! Really curious."
Maat didn't have much to say to Isis, she wouldn't judge her.
Despite not being a pretty attitude, some injustices seemed inevitable for a destination to walk the right path.
Hermes, who was staring at his watch, sighed in relief, he had given enough time for Isis to return to her destination.
He finally snapped his fingers and emerged in front of a rocky river on its banks.
He could easily see a young boy and an old man sitting on some of the many rocks.
"It's done?"
The old man asked.
Hermes grinned and took the opportunity to sit next to the boy.
"It's all done Chronos, the thousand years are already counting."
The old man was Chronos and the young man was Narcissus.
Curiously, Chronos separated his days to observe the young man who was trapped in his own reflection.
Known as the devourer of his own children, the only one who could end time and consequently the existence of another god.
He seemed to count the remaining time in the midst of infinity, as he watched someone who had lost himself in his own spell.
Chronos remained thoughtful for a few moments and Hermes took the opportunity to greet Narcissus.
"How's your day going, Narcissus?"
Narcissus, without taking his eyes off the water, smiled shyly at the reflection of Hermes that stood beside him.
"It's all right..."
Hermes nodded and stretched his body, he was tired.
Chronos who could watch all that smiled briefly, it was rather pitiful to see a boy like Narcissus trapped in his curse.
"Well, it won't be long before we find out whether or not Hela can circumvent her fate."
Hermes watched Chronos stroke his beard and felt intrigued. "You seem to know something I don't."
Chronos smiled at Hermes' dissatisfied tone of voice and agreed, he really knew. "You are naive to think that I really care about the idea of someone creating a fruit of mortality."
"What do you care about then?"
Chronos glared briefly at Hermes and kept himself in good spirits.
He walked slowly and also sat next to Narcissus. "Hela was born to have a glorious destiny, why do you think I asked you to take care of her?"
He lightly touched the water and gradually images of Hela and Ina emerged.
He controlled time, by controlling time he could control existence and beings.
For Chronos it was relatively easy to simply observe anyone's life.
Hermes smiled, noting that the two were still dressed in their wedding clothes.
Chatting and smiling in the kitchen while Hela made what looked like a cake.
Hermes felt satisfied, after all weddings really call for cake.
"I will take good care of them both."
Hermes touched Chronos' shoulder and smiled, not allowing an answer he snapped his fingers disappearing completely.
Narcissus, who was still keeping an eye on his reflection, spoke. "Do you think she will make it in time?"
Chronos stroked his beard and nodded, that was the obvious question to ask.
Hela had all the potential, but he couldn't do much to guarantee that she would.
But he finally said it. "I believe that if there is a capable person... That person is her."
Chronos finally closed his eyes and returned to his natural state, everything and nothing.
Simply time.
The seconds passed, minutes and hours.
In a few moments, days had passed.
After a single blink of an eye months had passed.
Until finally years come one after another.
Time was malleable, Chronos could manipulate it as he pleased.
Men and gods did not have the same relationship with time and that would finally be noticeable at the end of those thousand years.
Hela and Ina lived happily in their married days and somehow satisfied with the habits and routines they created.
The thousand years would come quickly.
Quickly 10 years passed.
Hermes always visited Hela and Ina and that day was no different.
He felt responsible for the two of them, not simply because of Chronos' request... He simply felt he had to do it.
When he finally made himself present he could see Ina sitting quietly in the small outdoor area of the house.
He quickened his steps until he finally gave up walking and floated towards her, not taking much more than a few seconds to be beside her. "Ina! I brought you something!"
Ina turned her face towards the direction Hermes' voice was coming from and smiled beautifully.
She got up and waited attentively for Hermes.
Hermes finally hugged her.
"Where is Hela?"
"Preparing lunch."
Hermes smiled. "Let's go to the kitchen then, what I brought should be fine for dessert."
Hela who had an apron tied around her waist watched Ina emerge from the kitchen with Hermes at her side.
Ina let go of Hermes' arm and approached Hela slowly.
Hela saw that Ina wanted to hug her and took two steps back.
"Careful, I have dirty clothes..."
Her apron had some oil stains on it and she was afraid Ina would be uncomfortable.
But Ina didn't care, she continued walking towards Hela.
After all these years they had already got used to each other's presence.
Especially Ina, she even knew how many steps it took to approach Hela while she was cooking.
Ina completely ignored Hela's speech, walked on and finally opened her arms until she could wrap herself around Hela.
Hela smiled and let herself be embraced, this time without any kind of fear.
Hermes watched all that satisfied, they had been married for ten years and it didn't even seem like that much time had passed.
Ina remembered Hermes' presence and turned her attention back to him. "Hermes, you said you brought something, show us!"
Hermes nodded and quickly snapped his fingers causing a basket full of peaches to appear on the table.
Hermes picked one of the peaches and offered it to Ina for her to touch and smell.
"Among humans the peach season has arrived, I thought you might like to try one."
Ina let go of Hela so she could hold the peach more properly and after a few seconds she smiled.
That peach looked sweet and juicy, she could tell just by touching it.
Well, she had a lot of experience when it came to peaches.
"Thanks Hermes, I'll eat after lunch... Do you want to join us and have lunch with us?"
Hermes smiled and applauded feeling excited. "Yea! Let's eat!"
Hela took the peach that Ina was holding and everyone else in the basket, she would wash them and prepare them so they could eat.
She observed how delicate they were and sighed, that reminded her that her peace and tranquility were numbered.
A thousand years would end with a simple snap of a finger.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone