Imitheos Phantasm
Chapter 1: Like Clockwork
Time has always existed, and yet it has not. For how can time exist when there was nothing? Then, the first being came. Chaos. They birthed the universe and thus time began. Time didn't originally have a name, nor a personhood - they just were. Much like their parent, they simply just existed.
But then, life formed on those planets that Chaos created. The passageway of time leading to their evolution and their sentience.
It happened slowly at first, or perhaps in an instance — it can be hard to tell for one that represents time, but Time looked to shape a form that wasn’t like the endless waves of timelines.
Time took a liking to the mortals as they now were called and shaped their form off of them. They were even given a name by the mortals when they visited.
Chronos.
Of course, only a part of Time ever slipped away to the mortal realms, influencing their lives here and there, while the other stayed in the celestial or infinite realms.
But it was this piece (or rather several as there are multiple universes and dimensions) of Chronos that truly became attached to the mortal realm — that chose to separate themselves from their main body even if they became weakened by doing so.
This Chronos came to be named Kronos and was mistaken as a Titan in his more mortal form as he traded his tail for legs.
Kronos walked or rather stumbled through the land that was known as Earth, or Gaia. Kronos recognized one of his sister progeny of Chaos. They weren’t true siblings like mortals, though, just as they simply came into existence as Chaos willed it so.
It was perhaps in this moment, though, the Kronos knew what love was when they saw her. All tan skin, like gold, and fiery red hair like a rose, and those eyes lush and green.
Kronos fell in love. It wasn’t until later, much later though, that he finally got the courage to approach this gorgeous woman.
He watched her play in the meadows sometimes. Watched as she took special interest in the golden flowers. And he decided to make his red eyes as golden as those flowers.
He didn't really know until much later that this behavior would be perceived as creepy. Afterall, he’s always watching. He’s watched time form the very start of his existence, and why should another one of his interests be any different.
And so, he continued to watch with golden eyes. His once pale blue skin became pale like the clouds that she so loved to gaze out. And his pure white hair became black as the night she dreamt under.
Then, one day, Kronos could no longer just watch, and he approached her.
Kronos learned that her name was Rhea, and she was the daughter of Gaia and Ouranos.
Rhea seemed almost as fascinated by him as he was with her. His tales of time that just seemed insignificant made her bright green eyes shine with wonder.
And Kronos began to see life and time through her eyes, and he spun tale after tale of all they saw and learned.
Kronos learned what it was to live, and the two soon fell in love.
Their marriage wasn’t one of opulence and riches, but of flower crowns and promises and tender embraces.
Of course, that’s not how the mortals tell their tale, but that’s for another time.
But the mortals did get a few things right. Kronos descend into madness and the swallowing of their children.
Kronos didn’t think that there would be negative effects from separating so permanently from his main body, but not much after Rhea was pregnant for the first time, did he start to hear voices whispering in his ears.
He was too weak. He couldn’t protect them. His children were in danger!
He had to keep them close.
Kronos dismissed it at first, but they grew louder and louder every day. Speaking of the tragedies that would befall the child. And when his first daughter Hestia was born.
The voices were thundering. His daughter. His precious daughter. She was so fragile, so breakable.
And he ate her. She would never be hurt in his stomach after all. She would be able to grow and survive in peace, and he would always be able to protect her like this. He could feel her breathing, her heart, her screams. She was safe.
Rhea was never the wiser, but Kronos knew she wouldn’t understand.
Thus, began the tale of Kronos and how he swallowed up all of his kids, except one, to protect them. Of how, his youngest, hidden away by his sweet Rhea, eventually tricked him into throwing all of his babies up.
No, he couldn’t protect them! They needed to be safe and whole! They couldn’t leave or they would get hurt!
But then Kronos was cut into pieces by his children.
Even then, he only held love for them, not hate like the mortals would say.
Perhaps, this should have been when he merged with his other self, and became whole again, but something stopped him. The voices, the timelines spoke to him. Of him returning, or him seeing his children again if he stayed and healed over time, of wars and blood and massacres.
And so, Kronos stayed and healed and waited.
Kronos didn’t know how much time passed by again until he was conscious enough to think, but one day he could.
At first, he didn’t know what he was seeing, but eventually he learned that he was seeing other's dreams, slipping into their unconsciousness like a phantom.
It was through these dreams that Kronos learned much of the present world.
That his children once ruled over the world all bright and glorious, until mortals made them fade into obscurity. How dare they?!
The mortals even took their names and changed them! Made them Roman! Even named him Saturn!
Then, the mortals dared to forget his children and even made some of the gods fade over time, when too much of their domain was wrecked by the mortals and they were forgotten.
Kronos was once again stuck by that blinding fear, like lightning from his youngest.
His children could fade!
And his children had children. Some of his grandchildren already did!
Kronos was in anguish. How dare those mortals?! How dare they?!
He swore that day that the mortals would be eradicated if it was the last thing he did.
It was then that he was able to slip into mortal’s dreams, into demigod dreams.
Kronos loved them, he hated them.
They were his grandbabies, they were destruction.
They were his. And that was what mattered.
He could teach them to forgo their mortal ways, after all they have ichor in their blood just as they have red in their veins. For now, though, until gold overtook their veins, they were pesky mortals, they were pawns.
One such pawn great-grandson went by the name of Luke Castellan, and he was going to make sure that he would see his children and grandchildren again… the godly ones of course.
And so, Kronos lied to Luke, for Luke wanted to tear down the gods, his children, and Kronos said he wanted the same. Still, even as Luke’s plans made Kronos’ blood boil, he was such a good pawn for what was to come.
However, everything started to go down when that mortal with more gold than red in his veins stood against him.
Perseus Jackson, that brilliant amazing grandson of his useless mortal trash foiled his plans at every turn. And there in his dying hour, did Kronos finally see his grandson for the first time. His green eyes are so much like Rhea’s, the fear and anger and hurt in those eyes.
Ancients what has Kronos done?!
Thus, Kronos let himself seep back to his main body, perhaps to be destroyed for good, for all the sins he committed. But, instead, his other self, Chronos, held him, gold peering to gold, and hugged him.
Kronos cried and cried, and they fell into one another. The two became one once more.
Of course, while this moment felt like an instant, it was also so much more. Fusion of two powerful beings into one, atoms spitting and time ending and begging. The universe tilted on its axis, and time once again started anew.
But then, those golden eyes peered at the universe, to see if their family was safe and saw that their grandson with Rhea’s eyes had died.
Chronos raged that day, oh they raged. So many universes fall into dark timelines, but they did not care, for the one who brought them back to the light was gone.
But then, they saw with their eyes turning a brilliant golden, a baby being born, crying out and their soul. Oh, and their soul was Percy’s.
Chronos wept with joy and from then on, they took to watching each and every moment in Percy’s, or rather Danny’s, life.
…Not noticing until it was too late that a scythe sliced their left eye, and the chains shackled them to a clock tower.
Their eyes no longer were the brilliant golden of sand. No, they were the color of blood, red and weak with mortality.
Chronos was no longer time. No, they were merely a slave to those eyeballs that called themselves the Observants. Whatever they wanted he did. Their powers were greatly dimensioned, and he could barely see into the vast timelines. He needed mirrors to see now. No, in this clock tower, they were simply just another clock worker.
So that’s who he became — Clockwork.
Notes:
Both the Gods in the PJO Universe and the DP Universe and the DC Universe (as well as others) can exist simultaneously because they can split themselves (whether permanently or not).
Also, this fanfic idea comes from my #2 "What if...?" where Percy Jackson was reborn as Danny Fenton. Of course, fate has never been nice to the hero's soul, and struggles will continue on in all of his lives. From one universe to the next. At least the dc universe has other heroes to help him (even if they were too late to save him from death). Still, we can only hope that life will give him a break (but Death never will).
