The absolute silence that followed was almost deafening. The colossal form of Erebus stood before him, motionless, as if measuring his son's resolve. Every fiber in Ereon felt the weight of that instant — the responsibility, the destiny, the Abyss.
Small black ripples surfaced across Eon's skin, crawling like living tendrils, reacting to the presence of the Abyss.
Erebus's deep voice resounded, echoing like thunder through the chamber:
"Σὺ γνῶθι, τέκνον… ἐὰν προχωρήσῃς, τὴν σύνδεσίν μας λύσεις… καὶ ὁ Κληρονόμος πλήρης γενήσεται. Οὐκ ἔσται ἐπιστροφή."
("Know this, my child… if you proceed, you will sever our bond… and the Heir shall become whole. There will be no return.")
"Οἶδα," ἀπεκρίνατο ὁ Ἐρέων, "ἀλλὰ ζῇν δέον αὐτὸν. Τὸ βάρος ἐπ' ἐμὲ ἔστω."
("I know," answered Ereon, "yet he must live. Let the burden fall upon me.")
The metallic chill lingered in the air, heavy with tension, as Ereon steadied himself, ready to take on the chaos within Eon.
Every gesture was calculated, every word a seal, every breath an anchor against the Abyss that stirred before him.
The shadow leaned closer, its black eyes piercing the soul of the son.
"Πατέρα… εἴθε ἀληθῶς ἦσθα ἐνθάδε."
("I wish you were truly here.") said Ereon, his voice trembling, heavy with sorrow.
The shadow of Erebus seemed to hesitate for a moment, as if absorbing the pain and longing of his son, before answering in a grave tone that reverberated through the Abyss:
"Παιδίον, γνῶθι τὸ τίμημα… ὁ ἦχος τῆς ἐπιλογῆς σου ἔσεται ἐπὶ ἑκατὸν ἕκτακτον αἰῶνας φέρων."
("My child, know the price… the echo of your choice will bear sixteen centuries of consequence.")
A heavy silence lingered. The dark light rippled over Eon as he gasped, trembling, feeling every fragment of his essence being reconnected.
"Ναί… ἀλλ' ἐν δέκα ἔτεσιν ἡμῖν ἦν κοινὴ ζωή… Ὁ δεσμός μὲ τὸν Ἐόν οὐδέποτε παρ' ἄλλοις ἀδελφοῖς ἐπετύγχανεν. Οὐ δύναμαι νὰ ἀφῆ ἄν ἄρτι."
("Yes… but for nine years we lived as one… the bond I forged with Eon never existed with my other brothers. I cannot abandon him now.")
The shadow released a dry, almost inaudible laugh. The air vibrated, reacting to the emotional tension.
"Δύνασαι νὰ μὲ κατηγορήσῃς διὰ τὴν ἀσθενείαν μου?"
("Would you blame me for my weakness?")
"Οὐχ. Ὅτε ἀπέλαυσα τὴν ἀλήθειαν περὶ τῆς καταγωγῆς μου, ἐφοβήθην. Ἔσπειρα νὰ σὲ ἀκολουθήσω ἀπεγνωσμένως… νῦν δέχομαι τὸ μέρος ὃ ἐμίσησα πρό τεσσαράκοντα ἑξ αἰῶνας. Καὶ διὰ τοῦτο… χάριν σοι."
("No. When I learned the truth of my origin, I was afraid. I tried to follow you desperately… now I accept the side I once despised for sixteen centuries. And for that… thank you.")
The shadow fell silent, then formed a cold, resigned smile. A whisper of wind swept through the chamber, as if the Abyss itself breathed.
"Τὰ πράγματα δυσχεράνθησονται. Μετὰ ταῦτα, εἰσέλθεις ἐπὶ τὸν ἁρμόν ὅλων τῶν θεῶν τῆς Τάξεως. Σὺ, Ἐρέων… διώξεσαι. Καὶ πάντες οἱ σὺν σοί συνδεδεμένοι. Ἔτι θέλεις προχωρῆσαι;"
("Things will grow difficult. After this, you will draw the attention of every god of Order. You, Ereon… will be hunted. And all bound to you. Do you still wish to proceed?")
"Ἑτοῖμος ἔσομαι. Διότι ἐν ἀρχῇ ταύτῃ πρῶτον ἐμαυτῷ ἐπιλέγω."
("I will be ready. For in this beginning, I choose — for the first time — myself.")
Fragments of memory began to appear before Ereon, like liquid reflections of centuries past. Ancestral voices echoed in his mind:
"A young man fighting under Erebus's command, moving as though every step had been taught a thousand years before.
Voices whispering: 'You are my son… my Ereon…'
Training, battles, moments of control and intimacy — echoes that tried to seduce Ereon into surrendering to his own chaos."
He drew a deep breath, feeling the weight of the Abyss upon his shoulders. Ereon's hands pressed against Eon's forehead, murmuring ancestral words, heavy with power and commitment:
"Oikogéneia ou prodídōsin, oudè enkataleípei."
("Family does not betray, nor abandon.")
"Eàn heîs pésē, ho héteros synapopíptēi."
("If one falls, the other falls with him.")
"Eàn heîs haimáxē, ámphō haimássousi."
("If one bleeds, both shall bleed.")
"Dýo eisérchontai, dýo exérchontai — ḕ oudeìs exeleúsetai."
("Two enter, two leave — or none shall emerge.")
The final phrase echoed through the room like a restrained thunderclap, sealing a pact that would transcend centuries. The silence that followed was not empty — it was filled with promises, blood, and fate.
The memories of Erebus twisted and screamed within Ereon's mind, trying to persuade him:
"— You will never be free, Ereon… without me, he will be lost.— Look how I fought, how I taught… you are my reflection, my instrument!"
The chaos within Eon writhed, reacting to Erebus's essence as though it had a will of its own.
Black and violet filaments slithered across Eon's skin, draining every trace of energy as reality itself seemed to shrink and expand, pulsing to the rhythm of the Abyss.
But Ereon did not yield. With every fragment absorbed, he felt pain, regret, and love — centuries of history compressed within his mind — yet also the certainty that this sacrifice was necessary.
Finally, with one last motion, the chaotic energy of Eon was drawn completely into him.
The black veins along his brother's body began to fade, and Eon inhaled sharply, eyes steady, mastering his own shadow.
In that same instant, the last essence of Erebus contracted, dissolving slowly into dark mist within Eon's Abyss — Ereon's fragments of memory now nothing but distant echoes.
Before vanishing completely, the ancestral voice resonated one last time, solemn and dense:
"Ἐόν, ἀπὸ τοῦ νῦν πᾶσα πράξις σου ἀντηχήσει διὰ τοῦ Ἀβύσσου… καὶ οὐκ ἔσται ἐπιστροφή τῶν ἀπωλεσθέντων."
("Eon, from now on every action of yours will echo through the Abyss… and there will be no return for what is lost.")
"Ὁ Ἄβυσσος νῦν σοῦ ἐστὶν ἔχων… μνημόνευε δὲ: ἡ ἐπιλογὴ σου φέρει βάρος ἐπὶ τοὺς αἰῶνας, καὶ ὁ ἦχος αὐτῆς σε συνοδεύσει."
("The Abyss is now yours to bear… but remember: your choice carries weight through the ages, and its echo shall follow you.")
The chamber was flooded with a heavy energy. The metallic chill and dense vibration of the air mirrored the touch of the Abyss itself.
Eon breathed deeply, each inhalation filled with his newly acquired power.
He felt the Abyss within — contained, yet alive — pulsing beneath his skin. Ereon placed a hand on his face, a silent gesture of connection and relief, and murmured:
"It is done, Eon… the Abyss is now yours. Hold it tightly, but don't forget… we are bound. We always have been."
And as absolute silence settled once more, the world — invisible to all mortals — seemed to hold its breath.
From the heights of their thrones, the Four Supremes felt the impact — the echoes of the newly unleashed chaos rippling through the empires like a silent warning.
Odin frowned, eyes gleaming with awareness, his mind racing through ancient strategies.
Zeus narrowed his gaze, sensing the energy vibrating in every corner of existence.
Ra pressed his lips together, his solar presence wavering, disturbed by the imbalance spreading across creation.
Amaterasu held her serene posture, yet her inner light flickered, betraying a subtle unease.
And it was not only the four. All Thrones felt the chaos — now wielded by Ereon — each aura trembling, each divine essence stirred, reminded that the balance of Order had been shattered. The power unleashed could no longer be ignored.
Author's Note:
With this chapter, we close the first great cycle — the awakening of the Abyss and the burden of the heirs.
From here, the story enters its second phase: the political game between kingdoms, intrigues, and alliances that will decide who survives when war inevitably begins.
Calm is merely the prelude to the storm — and every decision now carries a price.
Everything — absolutely everything — has meaning.
Every piece moved, every word spoken, every mystery still veiled bears a weight that will be charged later.
Make no mistake — nothing happens by chance.
Thank you for staying with me until now. The true board is about to be revealed.