Chapter 2: The Devouring

“You know of the mighty Titan, Cronos. So fearful was Cronos ... that his own children would rise against him that he decided to imprison all in his belly. Rhea stood by and watched as her children were devoured one by one.”

Gaia, God of War 2 (2007)

With the weight of prophecy hanging over his head and conflicted by his wife’s supposed betrayal, and unsure of who to trust, Cronos found himself alone. He knew the decisions that he wrestled with would shape not only his reign on Mount Olympus but the whole of Greece itself. The only place to do such thinking was within the confines of his chamber.

The revelation of Aether’s true parentage had not been a surprise. Cronos had expected it since the child’s birth. That did not stop a storm of conflicting emotions from stirring within him.

Rhea’s love for the child revealed to Cronos the depth of her love for Ouranos. That cut deeper than he had expected, and whether he knew it or not, her betrayal would forever etch scars on his heart.

The sad truth was he could not kill Aether. Cronos still very much loved his wife, and killing her son would turn Rhea against him.

Is that what the Fates meant when they said his choices would determine if he would rule? By enraging Rhea, or losing her love for that matter, would he somehow lose his throne?

Their riddle was unfair. It could mean literally anything, and he could spend eternity grappling with every decision. Indecision would cripple him until he was afraid that each new choice would strip him of his reign.

This, of course, led him back to his wife’s son.

Aether would be a constant reminder of his father’s cruelty. The selfishness of Ouranos was embodied in that baby boy; to exist as a wedge between Cronos and Rhea when they had been so happy before was a crime.

How could his father damage so much with his selfishness? Ouranos had Gaia, the Primordial of the soil and earth itself. By Chaos’ order, she had created Ouranos to be her perfect mate. How could his father spit on such a gift by stealing Cronos’ wife?

The problem was Cronos was gripped by indecision, so he decided it would be best to wait. Ouranos had been undone by rash selfishness; Cronos would be damned if he would be as well.

As time went on, Rhea would tell him she was pregnant with his child. This would ease his anger and pain. The Titanic siblings Theia and Tethys were also pregnant. The Kingdom of Olympus was expanding. For that, Cronos felt great pride. He could not imagine what he would do if Rhea did not give him a son.

“He really said that to you? Truly?” Gaia asked. The Primordial of the Earth stared at her daughter in undisguised, disgusted horror.

The two shared each other’s company in the privacy of Rhea’s palace on Olympus. Gaia had very little use for the many palaces that seemed to sprung up in their divine realm. After Ouranos’ fall and Cronos’ ascension, it made all the sense in the world for Rhea to have her own home on Olympus rather in the mortal realm below. After all, Rhea was Queen just as Gaia had been.

“He did,” Rhea said, horrified. “What am I supposed to do?.” She shook her head as tears flowed. “I won’t have my children, any of my children, living in fear that Cronos will take their lives like he did with Ouranos.”

Gaia exhaled deeply. Her daughter was right to be afraid, not because of what Cronos had done in defense of Olympus and the Realm, but because Cronos was letting his past dominate him. “You may be right to be skeptical of him, Rhea,” Gaia replied. “The Fates said there is an unknown curse on Ouranos that could affect his bloodline or the throne.”

That thought gave Rhea hope. The unknown was like fumbling around in darkness. If Gaia could illuminate Rhea’s path, even if it was fraught with danger, Rhea could face it all head-on.

“Is there a way to find out?” Rhea asked.

“There is,” Gaia replied with a nod. “I will have to return to the Underworld and study what I learn there. When I am sure of that, I will return to you, but I will be away from Olympus, Rhea.”

Gaia paused with genuine concern for her daughter. She was unsure how willing Rhea had been to lay with Ouranos, but Gaia accepted that her daughter had been a toy in her husband’s plan. No matter how willing, Ouranos never should have taken advantage of their daughter’s love for him. Once Gaia understood that part of it, she simply loved her daughter as a mother should.

“You will have to placate Cronos for a while. Can you do that?” Gaia asked, confirming her daughter’s safety.

Rhea nodded. She sniffed and wiped away a tear. “What if I give birth to a girl?”

“Then you give birth to a girl, Rhea,” Gaia said comfortingly. “We will deal with what comes afterwards, regardless of what Cronos does.”

Rhea nodded and hugged her mother. Gaia kissed her daughter’s forehead when they embraced. Upon breaking the contact, Gaia departed.

Left alone with her thoughts, Rhea shook her head. If Cronos harmed Aether, Rhea knew that she would never forgive him. In that unforgiving thought, she could not predict how, but Rhea would find a way to kill Cronos.

Gaia did not know if time worked differently in the Underworld. It was not something she had thought of when she first visited the Realm of the Dead, but she could feel a shift when she entered the Dark Realm.

As Gaia descended into its depths, she stepped with purpose towards her goal. Her eyes never left her target. She brought herself to the spirit of Ouranos.

She considered carefully how helpful he would be to her cause. With his selfishness in mind, she knew she might need to offer him some incentives, including telling him about Aether. Recalling the pain he had brought upon her, she found herself conflicted and wondered how much she could tell him without betraying Cronos as the new king.

The more consideration she gave it, the more she cautioned herself. Despite that caution, there was also indecision.

As it was, the vast expanse of Tartarus disregarded her conflicting feelings and accepted her without prejudice. The Realm’s eerie darkness intertwined with the whispers of Primordials long forgotten to the newer generation sent a shiver down Gaia’s back.

She shook herself to regain her focus. In the unusual feeling, she lost sight of the behemoth of a Primordial. She did not need to look far to locate her former husband.

Trudging with despair through the Realm was the Primordial of the Air, Father Sky, and the Last Primordial: Ouranos. She might have said he was exactly as he was in life, but that was not true; he seemed emptier, more hollow, with flesh that was more transparent. Unlike in life, he had a golden-bloodstain on his groin. The wound from Cronos’ scythe lingered, leaving Ouranos without any of his manhood even in death.

She was apprehensive when she approached. “Ouranos?”

For a moment, the Sky Primordial did not answer; rather he was unfocused on his walk ahead. When she called his name again, his ears pricked up and he turned his head slowly.

“Gaia?” Ouranos asked, uncertain of whether he was speaking to a hallucination. Stopping his trudge, he needed a moment, but when he recognized Gaia was physically there, he paused. Gaia could see he was deciding something. He turned from her and continued his slow trek through the Underworld. “To what do I owe the pleasure?” Ouranos asked. Shame mixed with hate tinged his words.

“Ouranos...” Gaia breathed with sympathy.

“Do not say my name!” Ouranos snapped back to Gaia. His tone was a cautionary warning.

Gaia understood and accepted the warning in stride. “I have come for your help,” she said softly.

Ouranos stopped his walk once more before turning to stare at Gaia. Pure, unadulterated bewilderment was etched on his face. Before too long, when Gaia added nothing, a bark of laughter flew from his lips. It was so long and loud that it echoed throughout the Underworld’s halls. “You? You ... You! You want my help? After what you and that runt of a son did to me!”

“I never harmed you,” Gaia said with serene indignation.

“No?” Ouranos asked. Accusation was lathered across the syllable. “Who gave our children those tools?” Ouranos asked, counting her betrayals. “Who readied Cronos? Who rallied our children to fight against me? Who did these things if not you?”

“You did,” Gaia retorted. While she had not come to be angry with her late husband, she found it was becoming increasingly easy with each of his questions. “When you took your daughter to bed—our bed!”

For a moment, it seemed the Sky Primordial might have an angry comeback. Instead, confronted by the truth, Ouranos lowered his head in shame. “For that,” he said meekly. “I am sorry.” He lifted his head slowly to lock eyes with his wife. Sincerity radiated from his gaze. “I was wrong to let my ambition and selfishness hurt you.”

Gaia stared at Ouranos, confused. He had never been one to apologize in life. To see it in death was disconcerting. “Thank you,” she said, unsure of how to continue. It took her a moment but she pushed on. “But this is not about you or me anymore. It is about your son.”

Ouranos laughed, almost turning from Gaia again. “I care nothing for that traitorous welp Cronos.”

“Not Cronos,” Gaia said slowly. She knew she needed to open up to have him do so. “Your union with Rhea produced a child. He is called Aether.”

“Aether?” Ouranos asked. There was a hope that glinted in his eyes from a plan that he knew would never come into fruition.

Gaia struggled and swallowed her pride. “Your son ... by Rhea. Right now, his destiny is uncertain, and if I can help ease Cronos’s mind about a prophecy, Aether might be allowed to survive and flourish.”

Ouranos almost jumped at Gaia. “He can’t hurt him!” Ouranos exclaimed with honest paternal affection for his unmet son. “He’s a child. He’s done nothing wrong.”

“Then help me put Cronos’s mind at ease,” Gaia pleaded.

Ouranos looked at Gaia, paused, and then continued, “I don’t recall the prophecy entirely, but from what I remember, the throne is cursed.”

Gaia looked at him, confused. “What? What throne?”

“The Throne of Olympus. Every King will be deposed by their most deserving son,” Ouranos answered honestly. Death did not suit the Primordial. He kept reaching for memories that felt just out of reach.

“Every King?” Gaia asked, struggling to believe.

Ouranos struggled with his memory. He had been the first divine being to experience death in the land of Greece, and so there were consequences beyond his body being destroyed. He continued to scrape through the foggy mind he had in death before the answer finally came to him.

Hope and desperation were written all over her face when he locked eyes with Gaia again. He understood that the truth could make her life easier, but if he was honest, she might not return to see him again. If he did not see her again, he would know nothing of Rhea or his son, Aether.

He knew she was not there for him. After he had lain with Rhea, he lost Gaia’s love. After she helped Cronos slay Ouranos, her loyalties had been decided. Conflicted by events, Ouranos did not feel he owed her any favors.

“The curse could end with him,” Ouranos lied. “It might go on for generations, Gaia, but that is what I remember.”

Gaia looked at Ouranos. She could see his affection for the son he would never be privileged to meet. If there was enough reason to tell the truth, that was it.

“I will tell him,” Gaia promised.

As she turned to leave, Ouranos accepted she would likely not return, and it broke his heart. Desperately, he reached out to Gaia.

“Is ... Is Aether healthy? Is he well?” Ouranos asked, tears falling from his eyes.

Gaia did not turn back to face him again. Despite conceiving Aether through infidelity, Gaia did not hold the child’s birth against her late husband. “He’s your spitting image, husband,” she said, almost begrudgingly. “It is a shame you had to conceive him by straying from our marriage.”

The condemnation, though mild, was more damning than anything that had been done to him in life. Ouranos fell to his knees. He was painfully aware he had lost more than just his sex. “I am sorry, Gaia. For everything.”

Gaia heard his apology but said nothing. How could she? Ouranos had ruined everything with his ambition and wayward eye. She left Ouranos to weep in despair. That would be punishment enough.

“Then we don’t know?” Cronos exclaimed when Gaia returned. She informed him as soon as she arrived. “I won’t be deposed by Aether. I won’t lose everything to Ouranos’ son.”

Gaia lifted her hands, trying to calm her angered son. “I do not believe it works that way. From what I have gathered, each King will be deposed by their most worthy son, not their father’s son.”

Cronos crushed another pillar in his rage. He did not know what to do or where to go. He could not punish Gaia, so he turned away from her instead. “I will find out more!”

Gaia tried to stop him. “About your siblings in Tartarus—”

Cronos pushed past his mother and vanished for the Underworld.

To be pushed aside by her son, when she had been nothing but a good and loyal mother and counselor was maddening to Gaia. She had been good to Cronos. Why could he not reciprocate that kindness?

Gaia let out a scream of frustration. She wanted all of her children free, to be in the world she had helped make. Unfortunately, with Cronos’ new fears, she worried that day would never come.

Rhea overheard the conversation as she held little Aether. She could not be more overjoyed. In her womb, there was another child. She prayed Cronos’s nightmare would come true. Let him have his son, and she would raise him to kill Cronos even as Cronos had killed Rhea’s love, Ouranos.

Rhea cuddled Aether and hoped he would help her train this usurping son. Rhea would do all she could so this next King did not have the prophecy used against him. After all, her children had done nothing wrong. It was Cronos who had started this cycle with his bloodthirsty nature. Why could he not have left well enough alone? Had Cronos been as unobservant as always, Rhea would have married him and only occasionally stepped out to please and be pleased by her Kingly father. If little Aether grew up in the image of his father, Ouranos, Rhea could learn to let go of her first love. Aether could become more of a King than his father or brother, and Rhea would be his Queen. Or her next son could inherit the throne, and Rhea would marry Aether after Cronos’s demise. What mattered was that Cronos would no longer be in the land of the living.