Chapter 163 - The cost of divinity (2)

Laid out as far as the eye could see was a beautiful and majestic landscape of mountains, rivers, forests, and plains. It was a divine land of picturesque scenery and a holy aura which pervaded deeply. Just breathing its air would fill one with vitality and the scenery would leave one feeling completely at ease. On the tallest mountain at the center of this world was an enormous temple with divine rings surrounding it. These rings appeared as if golden rays of sunlight, and they emanated great power which spread throughout this world. It was a magnificent scene of tranquility which would take one's breath away.

Tihr traversed this mountain with steady steps. Even though he was a god who could easily move across vast leagues with incredible speed, when climbing this mountain he could only do so slowly. Of course, if one who was not a god, or at least had strength equivalent to one, tried to climb this mountain they would never reach the top. After a long time, Tihr finally reached the doors of the temple where golden armored angels hovered closely above the ground. They were weaker and of lower status than him, but he did not dare act arrogant here. These were angelic guards of this temple and to create trouble here with them would incite the anger of the master of this place.

"Tihr, the master has been waiting for you." 

The angels who guarded the door of the temple immediately recognized Tihr. They were expecting his arrival and nodded towards him, but they remained in position at their post.  There was no disrespect, but at the same time they showed no special consideration for him.

"Is he here with his true body?" asked Tihr, already expecting what the answer would be.

The angels ignored Tihr's question and continued to stare off into the distance much like statues. If not for their wings, which gracefully flittered on their backs, one might think they were in fact statues. These angels were powerful, but not a match for a Greater god like Tihr. They could fight equally with low gods, but these were mere gate guards in this place.

Tihr was not pleased with their blatant dismissal of his question, but he didn't allow his thoughts to show. He walked passed the angels and entered the temple. The temple doors stood hundreds of feet high and could easily fit a colossus. Tihr's body was already that of a giant, but even he felt small when entering this gate. Size was often, but not always, an indicator of power. All of the gods were mountainous in size, but this temple was clearly made for someone of an even larger stature. 

Tihr passed immense statues of exquisite craftsmanship and enormous marbled hallways. Each supporting pillar decorated with intricate and magnificent scenes that even he could only admire. There was a strange quiet to this place that made its holiness seem more apparent. To the side of each long hallway were glorious sights of nature and exotic creatures roamed through the forests, lakes, and valleys that were visible. It seemed like an illusion, but it wasn't. It was as if each hallway were its own world.

"Every time I come here it takes my breath away." Tihr eyed the sights with both envy and admiration. 

He yearned for the day that he too could possess such magnificence. He was a powerful god with a vast domain of his own, but it paled in comparison to this one. While his domain was like a world, it was in fact much smaller than one. Perhaps it could be compared to the size of a small continent, but this place was much larger and far more grand. Even its aura was much greater than Tihr's domain.

For a time, the sounds of nature along with the steady rhythm of his heavy footsteps could be heard throughout the seemingly endless hallways. The solemn feeling of loneliness did not last long and before he knew it, Tihr was standing in a large throne room. It felt to him like an eternity had passed, but at the same time, only a moment. There, sitting on his throne, was a titan of colossal proportions with eyes closed. Tihr was a child in comparison.

The titan wore a simple robe of gold and silver and had flowing hair of white, like snow that trickled down his back and sides. His beard stretched down to his chest and was braided in an intricate design. 

"Tihr…. " A voice rumbled like an earthquake, shaking the enormous throne room.

"I am here master." Tihr replied respectfully while bowing his head.

"Mmm, I see that." 

The eyes of the titan opened, and within his eyes, time seemed to still. They did not have the appearance of normal eyes that possessed an iris and pupil. No, they were entirely white and then shifted, becoming hazy. The titan's eyes continued to change becoming even more blurry and hazy like shifting clouds. If one looked too deep, they would be lost forever in the past, the present, and the future.

"Do you have news for me? How long has it been?"

The voice of the titan was weary, as if it had weathered an eternity.

"It won't be long master, but what is time to you?"

A booming chuckle sent another quake through the throne room. 

"Indeed, what is time to me? I am Kronos the Eternal. It has been too long since I was free, trapped in this pristine paradise that is my domain. Can you possibly understand my torment?"

"I can not."

Kronos turned his gaze downwards to look at Tihr, "I raised you up for one purpose. Do you remember your purpose?"

Tihr nodded, "To find the Origin of Creation and deliver it to you."

"That's right, and you found it. But… you have still not obtained it. I have stood guard over the God Nexus for too long. The other Elder gods of our Nexus, the Eternal Nexus, the Immortal Nexus, the Archaeum Nexus, and the Void Nexus… a total of fifteen Elder gods… Yet all we can do is hold the enemy at bay. It requires the full attention of my true body. Perhaps if we staked our lives on the line, we might be able to win once and for all.. But who would do such a thing? We would surely die as well, and only the scant few who survived would reap the rewards. We may have come together to face this mutual threat, but we each have our own ambitions. I must have the Origin, it is the only way."

"Master, if not for Moksha plotting against me, it would have already been in your possession. I don't know what his plans are, but he has surely betrayed us. But do not be concerned, I have things under my control and have already planned accordingly."

Kronos silently observed Tihr's words. His eyes shifted once more and images flickered from within. He seemed to be peering into Tihr's very soul. This caused Tihr to shiver slightly and he could feel an extremely uncomfortable pressure bearing down on him.

He once more closed his eyes and the pressure lifted.

"There is always a cost, Tihr. Do you think that we gods can escape this? No… We are all bound by the Laws that the creator put in place, and this is the cost that I paid for what I did so long ago. It is the prison which keeps us bound and the shackles which bind our souls. And you Tihr… What I gave you, must be paid in full."

Although the pressure had been lifted, Tihr realized he had already been brought to his knees. He was a proud greater god, but before Kronos he might as well have been a child. Sweat fell down his face and he finally struggled back to his feet. He didn't dare raise his head though and continued to look at the floor. 

"I have not forgotten." Tihr finally forced the words from his lips.

"Good. As for Moksha, he has always been a strange one. He is different from all of you and has been alive for a very long time. Much longer than you can imagine. He was a god that was birthed by a world and is not like you, one who ascended. The rules are different for him and his ambitions are not something one such as you could understand. His world is long gone and only he remains as a testament that it ever once existed.  There is an immense grudge between him and Abaddon because of this. He oversees reincarnation, the cycle of Samsara, and he is also a prisoner to it. This was the price he had to pay in allowing him to remain within our Nexus and it is also what binds him. What can he do? It seems he has not given up on his foolish dreams, but his freedom is limited. Just observe his movements closely for now. He is only a minor nuisance."

Tihr bowed in understanding.

"I am sure that this is not the only reason you have come? You sent word ahead of something important, did you not?"

"Yes, master. The council has noticed strange movements from Abaddon.. Some sort of contact was made between the God Nexus and that place. It may be connected to him.. Do you think.."

"Impossible," interrupted Kronos, "it must be something else."

"But.."

"Enough!" 

Kronos slammed his hand down on the armrest of his throne, shaking the temple. Tihr took a step back and didn't say any more.

"Hmm, fine. Do as you see fit."

"Thank you master."

Tihr bowed once more without ever looking up and stepped back, before turning and walking out the way he came. Only Kronos remained in silence with his eyes closed. After some time, Kronos's eyes opened once more.

"The cost we paid… continue to pay. Was it worth it?"

His words lingered in his solitude and he closed his eyes once more.