Chapter 180 Cronus Realm Once More

Ten people had gathered in a clearing. Thousands of kilometers of grass made up their surroundings, coming to a halt at a swamp, expanding infinitely into the realm.

"How can your realm be so uplifting, yet depressing at the same time?" Elin pointed out. She was standing three meters away from a mourning couple. Xelena and Bennett, who had lost everything but themselves.

"Why thank you miss Elin, I try my best. An old friend of mine loved balance, it said that balance brought endless prosperity. But I must warn you, if you are to step into the swamp area, your safety will be compromised!" Cronus replied. He was happy about the compliment from Elin.

As the two were talking a man came out of from the lone house in the grass field. His eyes were darkened, most likely from self torment.

"Glad to see you here Ragnar! They will be staying here, safe from the evil clutches of Sun Dinosaurs. While you will leave as soon as possible!" Cronus told him. Ragnar gave him a side glance, but nothing more. With determined steps he walked towards his friends. Two giants could be seen in their shrunken from hiding behind some trees. They didn't want to make a peep. They had interrupted Ragnar's words. One of them was to die that day, but Mirella jumped Alice and died in their place.

Ragnar halted in front of his friends. He starred at the grass in front of their feet, before getting on the ground. "This is all my fault! I brought danger upon all of you, I let Alice run free. She warned me that Trickster knew of us, yet I didn't act upon it. Now look at what it brought us. We lost friends, family and most importantly our home. Worst part, I, the one who was supposed to protect you failed my duty and brought this upon us. I have failed all of you and for that I am sorry!" he said. His eyes lingering on the ground. Not daring to look into his friends eyes.

As much as Ragnar's friends wanted to vent their anger and frustration at Ragnar they knew better. Each one of these beings were fifth or sixth dimensional. They know his not at fault and therefore won't blame him in their hearts. But that doesn't mean they won't be angry. Just not at Ragnar, but at Alice, the traitorous whore.

"Shut the fuck up, you pathetic piece of shit. The least you can do after fucking up this bad is to take control and make it better. Don't grovel at our feet like some pathetic bitch!" Xelena said. She raged at Ragnar's sight and threw water balls at his face. Bennett had to step in and drag her away.

Ragnar took all the hits without complaining. He didn't like her words. They weren't hurtful enough! They had to be filled with hate, wrath. The urge to cut his throat and feed it to the animals.

Various looks of pity landed on Ragnar's shriveled up form. Yet he stayed, he didn't need their pity, he needed their anger. So he could burden it, wear it on his back. An anchor to keep him and them in place.

"Get up Ragnar, you're making everyone uncomfortable!" Cronus said, while getting up from his seat, he had made out of grass.

But Cronus words left Ragnar's ears, he didn't need time's conformation. He needed his friends nods of approval.

"He's right Ragnar! We don't blame you and neither should you!" Julia said. She walked towards Ragnar and hugged him. Ragnar grew stiff, from the show of affection. He thought she of anyone would hate him. All her children and grandchildren except from Xelena died that day.

The others didn't Voice their opinion, as nothing needed to be said. Julia covered everything they wanted to tell him. There was only one person left.

In a corner far away from anyone, close to the swamp Leif sat. He starred emptily into the swamp. There animals lived normal lives, away from all trauma and problems. 'If only the third dimensional beings knew what they worship!' He thought to himself. Time was running out and soon he would join his love. The only reason he lived till this day was for her. But now she's gone.

A glowing rock appeared in his hand and he flicked into the trenches of the swamp. Many different glowing stones were throne into different parts of the swamp and started to glow brighter. Then their glow disappeared, drowned in the brown water of the swamp.

Leif took a step into the swamp water. No one was there to stop his decent into the swamp and so he was gone. The water consumed his body, leaving nothing behind. Only a bunch of rocks were left behind. One day they would become wonderful dungeons, conquering the swamps of this realm. All in the legacy of Leif Ragthor, first apostle of Ragnar.

"Where is Leif?" Ragnar asked, as he looked up at his friends. The others peeked at him before saying.

"He's close to the swamp." But they were interrupted by Cronus. "He has left the realm, to live through Mirella's last wish. Please do not look for him, your search will have no yield." Cronus told them. His tone left no room for rejection. Ragnar froze when he heard the news. If Leif left, did he kill himself. It wouldn't be above him. He's tried it before.

"Is he alive, Cronus?!" Ragnar asked.

"Yes!" Cronus responded.

Ragnar nodded and said. "Then if that is his wish, I will not stop him! Now, to the next job. I will train my powers over time with myself and Cronus. You all, please make yourselves at home, we will be here for a long time!" Ragnar told his friends, once more giving out orders.

Ragnar and Cronus entered the swamp and walked throw its shallow waters until they reached a weird garden.

"This is where we will train for a while Ragnar. Even if most training will be done in your mind!" Cronus said and walked towards the middle of the garden. Ragnar followed without raising a thought. He simply did as told for now.

"We will enter your mind, after you sit down and don't worry, I can't hurt you even if I wanted to." Cronus told him, knowing the current anger he was facing. His words of indifference from earlier slightly worsened their relationship. But he couldn't care less. He wasn't here to babysit Ragnar's every move. Only the path he would choose.

Ragnar sat down and entered his minds-scape. He waited for Cronus to enter and then walked towards the Time Raptor and Sun Dinosaur versions of himself.

"You brought a visitor it seems!" Sun said and Ragnar nodded.

"You know him already, but Time doesn't know him that well. This is Cronus, my teacher and (friend)."

"Hey, why did you empathize on friend?" Cronus voiced his complaint,but Ragnar ignored him.

"The two of you will help teach me my powers. So that I can leave this realm and return to the past, as soon as possible!" Ragnar told the time version of himself.

"Ok, let's get started!" Was the response.

Like that billions of years passed in his mind, he learned thousands of new tricks. Before he had thought time was limited. Turns out he thought about time in the wrong way. As long as something is destined to die in any timeline or if it was a point where it wasn't born you could erase it from time. A terrifying concept. Something Sun Dinosaur had come to fear and their fear led to irrational thoughts. Those thoughts later on led to a war. Sadly Time Raptors lost that war and gave in to the enemy. But they refused peace.

Ragnar got history lessons and power lessons all in one. As he finally reached his current potential five whole years had passed outside his mind. His powers hadn't improved, but the control over time and Nightwater had become devastating. He had learned to implement time into Nightwater like it was supposed to be used. Meaning he wasn't a blob of liquid anymore. He was Nightwater. A misty darkness reaching all corners throughout time itself. He was nigh omnipresent. The only thing he needed now was to reach the seventh dimension and he would know everything that happened in the dimensions and for the first time see the second and first dimension. Before he could only get worshipers there, he couldn't comprehend them. Even till this day, he had slight trouble understanding how life works in those worlds, especially the one dimensional one.

Ragnar left his mind and watched Cronus. He had yet to open his eyes, he seemed to be in deep thought. Then he opened his mouth and said.

"Ragnar, you need to leave now. Time can't be stopped in the eyes of a Time Raptor!" Cronus said and got up from the ground.

"I will take my leave then, everything is already ready after all!" Ragnar told Cronus.

Cronus nodded and said. "I will tell the others if your departure. Good luck, maybe they will accept you for who you are. Even if your father was their worst nightmare!"

Ragnar nodded and started to imagine his anchor and then he let go of it. His mind went crazy as he was thrown into a world of infinite sources of light. All different timelines. Ragnar gave up on the future and started moving towards the past. The farther he went the darker the colors became and the fewer lights were shown until there was only one light. It was at the end of the road.

A great void of lights followed and as far as one could comprehend time was gone. But he knew what was after that great void, the fourth era. Maybe one day he would be strong enough to intentionally travel to such place. But for now, he would stay content with what he had. Instead of relying on his time powers to enter the realm he used the most powerful ability of Nightwater. Nightwater exists in all time, so he simply appeared in that concept, as it was his own.

Ragnar appeared on a world, it was in the fifth dimension. There he saw huge, enormous even humans. They were titans. Billions of them, happily living their lives in this place. They exchanged pleasantries, like all humans would.

Ragnar fell on the ground. A human, being a titan. He couldn't believe his eyes. He wanted to scream at the top of his lungs in shock, but he held it in.

He walked up to one of the titans in its true form. Ginormous as one would expect from a titan.

"How may I help you little friend. You seem human, yet you're so tiny. May I ask why?" The human asked, full of curiosity.

"I'm not a titan, neither am I a celestial dear friend. May I ask you one question?" Ragnar asked.

"Well yes, if it's within my capabilities to answer I will!" The titan said.

"How's life treating all of you. The grace of existence, how does it feel?" Ragnar asked, he had never known the embrace of his grandfather, who had given him a cold shoulder since birth.

"Hhmm, well to answer your question. We feel fulfilled. We never question our purpose to live, we're always happy. We know the meaning behind all who visit and we know what's to come. Never once have we felt alone. To put it in a way fro someone to understand. No matter the trial the face, the hatred we carry and the burden that piles on us we never feel alone. It is always there, it is every supporting. Like a parent we had, or never had. We feel like all we do has a meaning to it, for it has a meaning to it!"

"I see."

(Author here: hope you like :) Have a great day and enjoy the new volume. This one will bring forth many mysteries and answer many things. Author out :) )