Chapter 157: Of Space and Time. 2009 CE

"What?"

Helios was standing in front of Pluto and the two embodiments of space and time, who were sitting casually on a dead tree's trunk.

"You can go back to the settlement kid." said Kronos, making green bracelets around his arm, and it spun rapidly. "Do anything you want, play with the alpacas, eat some food, we don't care."

Helios was confused, and he turned to his father. "Da– Sir?"

"What he said." Pluto hummed, eating an apple. "Go to your mother boy, pack your bags, we're going home."

"W-What about the training?"

"It's done, you passed the other two, so you pass the last one." answered Pluto.

"Wha— okay…" Helios frowned, something's not right.

"Bye~" Juno waved her hand as she also made a bracelet around her arm, and it spun rapidly.. "See you later~"

Helios nodded, even more suspicious now. He turned around, and walked towards the settlement. It was a quiet walk, with no distraction at all, he saw the alpacas grazing on the grass of the jungle, he saw people walking around the place doing their thing, the smell of metal being smelted was strong at the place, and Helios arrived at his place.

Helios took a deep breath in front of the door, and opened it. Once he went inside, he felt weird, like his perception was twisted in some way.

"Hey boy, what are you still doing here?" a voice suddenly sounded. Helios looked around, and saw his father at the same place, with his two constructs.

"Wha— but I just…" Helios stammered.

"You want to repeat the training with your mother and Idemnon?" Pluto questioned with raised eyebrows.

"N-No sir…"

"Then go back to the settlement." Pluto said sternly, making Helios nod.

"R-Right away…" Helios turned around, and walked to the settlement. It was a quiet walk, with no distraction whatsoever, he saw the alpacas grazing on the grass of the jungle, he saw people walking around—

Wait. this feels… familiar…

Helios walked towards his place, and opened the door. Once he went inside, his head started to get dizzy again, and he heard a voice from in front of him.

"What are you still doing here?" the voice said. "Do you want to repeat the training?"

"Wha—" Helios stammered, backing away a couple of steps. "What is happening right now!?"

"What did I tell you about shouting?" Pluto frowned, making Helios gulp.

"B-But… I've already gone back two times…"

Pluto's frown to a smile. "Third loop huh… not bad…"

"Hehehe~ he's your son after all Pluto~" Juno giggled as she floated around the place.

"Juno, sit down." said Kronos calmly, making Juno sit beside him.

"I'm in a… time loop?" Helios questioned. "I- Is this a test?"

"Not really, I just want to give you how it feels to be helpless." answered Pluto as he stood up. "Can you get out of the time loop?"

"Of course I can't!" Helios exclaimed, afraid at the thought of ageing inside the time loop because he was told to get out of the time loop alone.

"You know your limits. Good." Pluto nodded. "But now, go back home 50 times, just so you get used to the feeling, unless of course, you can get out of it, but I doubt it."

"What? But I thought–"

"We're still training, boy." Pluto sternly said. "Either say yes, or no."

"Y-Yes sir…"

—

Pluto and the family was no in front of the barn that Druig stayed in. Helios was throwing up constantly from the repeated attempt of breaking the time loop. He tried everything to not do it 50 times, he tried to run through the other direction, he tried to escape the jungle, he tried to fly to the sky, he tried to drown himself to make him pass out and make his mother mad so his father would get beaten down by his mom, but that didn't work… instead, he gets beaten down by his mother because of his stupidity…

"I guess it's time to leave." said Pluto as he hugged Druig warmly.

"Nice to see you again Pluto." Druig smiled.

"And you." answered Pluto. "You should go out sometimes. Humans might have bad qualities, but they also have good qualities… so I suggest you just release the people around here…"

"Them?" Druig chuckled. "I'm not controlling them, Pluto, I'm way over that. They chose to stay, some even come here from the outside world, searching for a simple life."

"Really?" Pluto was quite surprised. "Well, good for you. But my point still stands, you need to go outside. Maybe pick up Makkari and bring her here? she just locks herself in the Domo… maybe she'll appreciate your company."

Druig smiled. "I'll think about it." He then walked towards Thena and hugged her. "Take care Thena, don't go on a rampage again."

"Well, no promises." Thena shrugged jokingly as Druig chuckled. "Raising a kid from a baby is a lot harder than raising 10 year old children that already know the hardships of life…"

"Pluto told me it's painful…" said Druig, pointing at her stomach.

"It's worth it." Thena smiled faintly, and Druig nods at her answer.

Finally, the little guy. He looked at his dishevelled condition and laughed. "Traumatised enough yet?"

"I honestly don't want to go back to this place again…" he murmured as he shivered from the thought.

"Don't worry, next summer will be at your mansion." Druig ruffled his hair, making him flinch.

"There's more?!" Helios exclaimed as he looked at his parents.

"You've only beaten Asterion Helios, there's still Smaug, the frost giants, Fluffy, Hydra, Ghidorah, Anans—"

Helios just dropped down to the ground before Pluto could finish, dreading his fate for the next three years to come…