“Odin found Vervain before Thor did and so the Godhunter never joined Thor's group of rebel gods,” Chronos said. “But again, Vervain's lovers were pulled back to her and they joined forces with Hades to avenge his wife's murder.”
“Is anyone else feeling sick?” Hermes murmured.
I glanced down the table at him and nodded. “You have no idea.”
Hermes grimaced at me in commiseration.
“I watched all of this with a growing fury, but I held back; hoping that Time would repair itself and teach this young god a lesson,” Chronos said sadly. “Unfortunately, neither of those things happened. When Hades and his army returned to Tartarus for the second time, Aion gave in to Nyx's urging and took them back further still.”
I frowned and blinked as shocking images filled my head. I saw my friends and family, but I also saw people who were supposed to be dead; including Niyarvirezi. I started to think through what Chronos was saying and follow the paths that Nyx and Aion had tried to set me on. What would have happened to my life with those simple changes? Where would I be if I hadn't met Trevor? Or if I'd met Thor too late? I often lamented meeting Thor before Odin, but what would that have done to my life?
“I knew that this was the end,” Chronos said. “Time was fraying, and if history wasn't fixed, it would snap. But I watched Vervain once more find her way back to her proper path, and I had faith in her.” Chronos stopped to give me a soft smile. “You had some rough changes thrown at you, Godhunter, but you handled them well, and you found your way to the people who helped to make you who you are today. You retained your ability to take god magic, and I hoped that you would use it to take Aion's magic and right his wrongs.”
“But?” I asked.
“You did take his magic, but you failed to repair Time,” he said gently. “You tried your best, but Time had been too injured and Aion's magic wasn't enough to repair it. It began to unravel, and that's when I stepped in.”
A cold shiver coasted down my arms as I saw exactly what Chronos was talking about; Time laid out before me. I saw the spirals of it and the frayed pieces that had been severed too many times.
“It was scarred,” I whispered. “I had to heal it with Aion's magic and piece it together.”
“Yes,” Chronos said simply. “It's not your fault; you gave it everything you had, but you simply didn't have the power you needed to succeed.”
The temple was silent for one brief second before all the Gods began yelling again.
“Enough!” Athena stood up as she shouted. “We will hear all of it before we condemn our fellow gods.” She looked at Chronos. “You have made your testimony, and we, of course, believe you; especially after hearing Vervain's response. But if we are to dispense justice, we must have more proof than the testimony of a single god; even if that god is you. Do you have anything more to offer us, Chronos? Any evidence or additional witnesses? Your wife, perhaps?”
“I call upon Macaria, Goddess of Blessed Death, and on Erebus, God of Darkness and Shadows, to give testimony,” Chronos declared.
We all gaped at Macaria and Erebus as they strode down the aisle and came to stand before the Olympians. Macaria looked at me and nodded grimly and then stared at her father with an apologetic expression. Hades leaned forward as his free hand slid over the table; as if it would reach out to his daughter.
“No!” Nyx screeched as she tried to step forward. “You cannot, Macaria! Please, don't do this. I'm your mother; do not betray me!”
Several gods came forward to restrain Nyx as Aion hung his head.
“My mother confided in me,” Macaria said. “She told me of her plans to change the past. I've made more than my fair share of mistakes, but I did it all believing that I was in the right. I knew I could not be a part of Nyx's new plan; it was obviously evil. Persephone is a good woman. She's the best thing that ever happened to my father, and I refused to allow her to be taken from him. Ask Vervain”—she waved a hand at me—“I warned her about my mother and Aion.”
“You traitorous child!” Nyx screamed. “I curse the day I brought you into this world. I curse the day I let your pathetic father touch me.”
“Is this true, Vervain?” Athena ignored Nyx's outbursts to ask me. “Did Macaria warn you?”
“You know that she did,” I said with a frown. “We told you about it; you were trying to find Nyx and Aion for us.”
Athena rolled her eyes. “Yes, Vervain; I know that, but it needed to be stated now for the benefit of the other gods.”
“Oh,” I whispered. Then I added in a strong voice, “Macaria did come to see me and warn me of her mother's intentions.”
“Erebus, do you have something to add?” Athena asked.
“My wife confided in me as well,” Erebus admitted sadly. “It's as Macaria says; I swear it.”
“You son of sea slime,” Nyx hissed. “You would betray me? I gave birth to your children.”
“And I've always loved you, Nyx,” Erebus said. “But I draw the line at changing Time to satisfy your need for vengeance. You were wrong, and you nearly destroyed us all.”
Nyx shook her head in disgust and hissed, “You're weak! In every altered timeline, you abandoned me when you discovered my plan. I should have killed you before I went back.”
“Before?” Erebus growled; his eyes gone wide. “Did you kill me too, Nyx?”
