Cronus' system: Against the gods

Rex stumbled into his room, still reeling from his visit to the Workshop. His mind refused to shake the image of Old Man Jace, how the frail, unimposing shopkeeper had morphed into a terrifying deity, a god of ice, his presence as cold and unyielding as winter itself. The moment Jace had subdued the robber, his icy gaze radiated pure intent, like frost settling on the soul.

A shiver ran down Rex's spine at the memory. He could still feel the oppressive weight of Jace's killing intent. "That poor robber… I bet he'll be scarred for life after something like that," Rex muttered, shaking his head and releasing a long sigh, as though trying to exhale the tension still gripping him.

Cronus' voice broke through the haze. "At least he's taken a liking to you. Consider yourself lucky to be one of his 'loyal customers.'"

"Loyal customer, my ass!" Rex snapped, his brows twitching with irritation. "I swear that man could kill me without a second thought if I so much as crack a joke around him." He dropped one of the bags he was carrying, the weight thunking against the floor. Inside, snacks and an assortment of crunchy treats jostled together.

Cronus' tone darkened, serious now. "This is why you need to grow stronger. Quickly."

Rex sighed again, lowering the second bag—a heavy load of drinks, clinking faintly as bottles settled into place. "Yeah, yeah, I know. I'll head to Tartarus right after I grab a bite. Even Zeus wouldn't go to battle on an empty stomach, right?"

At the mention of Zeus, Cronus' voice dipped into an ominous register. "Zeus…" He seemed to taste the name like it was ash on his tongue. Ever since Zeus had descended into the city and erased Lucius with casual finality, something had gnawed at him. "Why would Zeus interfere personally to destroy Lucius? What could that rebellious son of mine be thinking?"

Rex caught the shift in tone and paused mid-stretch. He had wondered the same thing. Zeus, the so-called king of the gods, rarely dirtied his hands with mortal affairs. For him to step in meant something larger, something unsettling.

Cronus' musings deepened. "He wouldn't have come unless something's off. And Jefferson… How is he?" Cronus' voice softened, tinged with reluctant respect. "For him to survive that blow from Zeus—it's astonishing. Hercules mentioned once that even Zeus feared Jefferson. At the time, I didn't believe him. But after seeing Jefferson rush headlong into battle against Zeus himself, I have to admit… the man's spirit reminds me of my own when I challenged my father, Uranus."

Rex scratched the back of his neck, a faint frown tugging at his lips. "Jefferson, huh? I'll swing by HQ tomorrow and check on him. Hopefully, he's still in one piece."

Even as he spoke, images of the battle replayed in his mind. Jefferson, standing resolute, rage burning in his eyes. That raw, unrestrained fury as he charged Zeus, it wasn't just anger at the gods treating them like pawns in some cosmic entertainment. It was something deeper, more personal.

Rex clenched his fists, the weight of unspoken questions settling over him like a storm cloud. "Why was Jefferson so furious at Zeus? Sure, I get that Zeus is screwing with us for his own amusement. But that look in Jefferson's eyes… It wasn't just anger. It was something else."

Something darker. Something that spoke of wounds far older than Rex could imagine.

"Whooo…"

Rex exhaled deeply, a soft whistle escaping his lips as he tried to shake off the lingering tension. He dragged a chair closer, letting himself sink into its worn embrace as he rummaged through one of the bags.

His fingers brushed against cool, crinkling packaging before pulling out the prize he'd been looking forward to all day: Limited Edition: Triple Chocolate Chunk! The words glistened on the box in bold, golden lettering, promising indulgence.

Rex couldn't help the faint grin that tugged at his lips. "Time to grab a bite," he murmured to himself, his voice barely audible over the soft pop of the box opening. The rich aroma of chocolate hit him like a soothing wave, cutting through the stress clouding his mind.

He reached for a soda bottle next, its cold condensation slick under his fingers. The hiss of escaping carbonation was like music, a tiny symphony promising respite. "Alright, now we're talking," Rex muttered as he twisted the cap off, taking a quick swig of the fizzy drink.

As Rex took a sip of the soda, a burst of carbonation fizzed up too quickly, catching him off guard. He jerked back, coughing and sputtering as the fizz tickled his nose. "Whoa there, easy now!" he rasped, holding the bottle at arm's length as if it had personally betrayed him.

Wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he eyed the drink suspiciously. "Didn't think I needed a training montage just to handle you," he muttered.

Still determined to enjoy his little feast, Rex carefully balanced the soda on the edge of the table and ripped open the cookie box. Grabbing a chunky piece of chocolatey goodness, he took a triumphant bite, only for a massive chunk of chocolate to fall off and land squarely on his lap.

"Seriously?" he groaned, staring down at the rogue chocolate like it had personally offended him. He reached for it, only to realize it had melted slightly, leaving a smear on his jeans. "Perfect. Now I look like I lost a fight with a dessert."

Not to be outdone, he popped the rest of the cookie into his mouth and savored the rich flavor. "Okay, fine," he mumbled through a mouthful of crumbs. "You win this round, cookie. But I'm still undefeated in spirit."

As if to challenge his claim, the soda bottle teetered precariously on the edge of the table. Rex lunged to catch it, nearly knocking over the chair in the process. He barely managed to save it, holding it aloft like a trophy.

"Victory!" he declared, only to realize his sudden movement had launched crumbs onto the floor. He froze mid-celebration, staring down at the mess.

"Yeah... definitely nailing this whole 'relax and enjoy the moment' thing," he muttered sarcastically, shaking his head.

With a sigh, Rex leaned back in his chair, crumbs on his shirt, chocolate on his jeans, and a soda bottle clutched like a lifeline. Despite the chaos, he couldn't help but grin. "Living the dream," he chuckled to himself, raising the soda bottle in a mock toast before taking another swig, this time, cautiously.

As Rex tried gulping down the remaining soda, a sudden, thunderous voice echoed in his head, making him nearly choke.

"Harbinger!!!" Cronus bellowed with the intensity of an angry deity who just stubbed their divine toe.

Rex sputtered, spraying soda everywhere as he clutched his head. "Gah! What the....Cronus! You scared the carbonation out of me!" he wheezed, pounding his chest like he was trying to restart his lungs.

"Snacks are not the issue," Cronus growled

"You're not wrong, but could you have picked a better time to yell? I almost drowned in soda. Imagine the headlines: 'Chosen Hero Suffers Carbonated Demise.' Real inspiring stuff."

Cronus remained silent for a moment, as if processing the absurdity of the situation. Then, with the weight of an ancient sage delivering profound wisdom, he declared: "Take heed."

Rex blinked, half-expecting some grand revelation to follow. When nothing came, he leaned forward, raising an eyebrow. "Take heed… of what, exactly? My hydration levels? The dangers of snack-related accidents?"

The voice in his head hesitated, as if caught off guard. "Just… take heed."

"That's it? That's your big contribution?" Rex asked, incredulous. "You show up, yell like a deranged thunderstorm, and drop 'take heed' like it's a mic drop? No context, no follow-up, just poof?"

"Take heed is timeless advice!" Cronus retorted defensively. "It applies to… many situations."

Rex pinched the bridge of his nose. "You're an ancient god, the big bad of time itself, and this is what you're bringing to the table? Couldn't even throw in a 'beware the ides of March' or something ominous?"

"I don't deal in specifics, Harbinger," Cronus said with a haughty sniff, if gods could sniff. "And besides, ambiguity builds character."

"Yeah, so does not having soda come out your nose," Rex muttered, shaking his head. He lifted the bottle in a mock toast. "To your timeless wisdom, oh mighty Cronus. May we all learn to… take heed."

"Mockery will serve you ill," Cronus grumbled, though Rex could swear he heard the faintest hint of embarrassment.

"Mockery's all I've got when my mentor sounds like a cryptic fortune cookie," Rex shot back with a smirk, leaning back in his chair. He grabbed another cookie, popping it into his mouth with exaggerated flair. "So, are you going to drop any actual wisdom, or should I just prepare myself for more snack-related life lessons?"

Cronus sighed, a sound that resonated through Rex's skull like the groan of ancient stone grinding against itself. "You are impossibly irreverent for someone entrusted with the fate of existence."

"Yeah, well, irreverence is kind of my brand," Rex replied, waving the cookie like a wand. "Keeps me grounded. You should try it sometime."

"I am the embodiment of time," Cronus said, his tone dripping with indignation. "I do not do irreverence."

"Sounds like you could use a hobby," Rex quipped, brushing crumbs off his shirt. "Maybe knitting. I hear it's great for stress."Nôv(el)B\\jnn