No one spoke out against Phanes. No one spoke at all. The gravity of the situation was known and with it came a deathly quiet. This silence that filled the hall was a silence of three parts. 

The first silence belonged to Phanes. Phanes who had never demanded attention. Phanes who had never been expected to amount to much. Phanes who had overcome the might of his brother and of his own self doubt to reclaim Celestia. He had earnt this silence.

The second silence belonged to Chronos, Moirai and Moros. They had placed the fate of the Protogenoi and of the whole universe in the hands of Phanes. They had trusted that he would do right and persevere against all odds. Their gamble had paid off and as such they stood in quiet admiration of Phanes.

The final part belonged to Erebus, Aether and Pontus. For they blamed themselves for the imprisonment of The Three. They had allowed their ambition to morph them into spiteful arrogant beings. The Protogenoi were already the most powerful beings to ever exist. The other beings of the universe couldn’t even comprehend the depths of their power. Why did they need more? Why did they need to keep pushing and striving? The answer was simple. They had allowed their egos to blind them.

“We are sorry, brother,” said Erebus, “I thought you were a fool. I thought you were weak. But now I see the truth, it was I that was the fool. It was I that was weak.”

Phanes walked over to his siblings and untied them. Free of their shackles they stood and faced Phanes, before embracing him. No words were spoken, but everyone understood. As they separated, Phanes looked them both in the eyes and nodded. The twins nodded back; they knew what they had to do. They raised their hands and began to focus, whilst an orb appeared between them. Shadow and light swirled in mesmerizing patterns before them. Forms began to take place within the orb. Chaos, Ouranos and Tartarus could be heard calling to the Protogenoi, screaming to be set free. As their forms became clearer, The Three became louder and louder before they eventually burst from the orb, shattering the silence that had hung in the hall.

The Three fell to the ground as they gasped the first breaths out of imprisonment. Once they had caught their breath, Chaos and Tartarus turn as one to face Erebus and Aether, whilst Ourano sturns to find Pontus. They charge at their targets, screaming as they prepare to battle their captors. But, before they could reach their targets Chronos raises his arm and The Three are frozen, mid-charge.

“Honestly, I’m not sure who’s worse,” said Chronos, “The Three, or you three,” as he looked at Erebus, Aether and Pontus. “Moirai, would you mind awfully educating these three?” I walked up to The Three and brushed them. As I did so, they saw the situation and knew it to be true.

Lowering his arm, Chronos released The Three from his hold. Now free, they looked at each other and bowed their heads in shame. They knew that it was their apathy of the troubles of the mortals that had placed the Protogenoi in this perilous situation.

“Father, it is good to see you again. Though unfortunately we do not have time to rejoice in your release from imprisonment. We can waste no further time before we return to our ethereal forms and once again stand guard over the beings of the universe; helping and guiding them along their journeys.”

We Protogenoi gathered in a circle, clasping the hands of our kin on either side, with all heads raised to look into the sky. Slowly at first, and then all at once, our physical forms faded from existence as we returned to our rightful place.