The next day was different. The air was stale, and no animals were roaming around the forest on her way to find Kronos. She knew something's wrong, but she couldn't point out what it was.

Laurel continued her journey, leaving the kid to Peneus and promising to come back for him. Peneus's delighted with Laurel's requests. He felt like his daughter had adopted a son and now asked to care for him. As for the kid, he didn't complain. He knew better than anyone that he wouldn't be of any help at the moment. He only prayed that Laurel would come back safe.

A few nights and more days have passed, and Laurel has yet to find the right temple of Kronos. But the more time he spends on the road, the more his heart feels heavy.

It looks like mother nature's angry again, she thought as she felt the ground quaking and lighting striking from above. It's been odd the past few days that even the weather hasn't been steady.

Laurel didn't care. She proceeded to her task until she reached the rumored cave temple of Kronos. The moment she steps on the place, everything starts to swirl and feels heavy, like she's carrying something behind.

Unlike other temples she'd been through, this temple of Kronos differed from the others. It's dark and eerie, almost abandoned. But Laurel continued, wasn't afraid of such scenery. She's used to living in the dark. It's not a problem.

Laurel hoped to see the god of time when she reached the end of the path. But instead of an altar, she came face to face with a giant door with runes and glyphs written all over it.

"Is this a temple?" She brushed her hand by the door, looking for anything unusual. In all the temples she had been, it's the only one that's locked and hidden.

"Now what?" she whispered, checking every corner and angle of the door for possible openings.

Laurel spent time wandering in front of the door. She tried making up words and deciphering the glyphs but to no avail. Nothing seemed to work until the door moved and opened on its own.

Laurel frowned. "How did...." she paused, but her curiosity took over before she could even assess the surrounding. She entered and walked deeper to the temple.

It's quiet, too quiet that it makes Laurel on guard more than usual. She slowly made her way forward until she found the altar. The altar is empty. She found two torches standing on both sides while no offerings around. It's odd.

Laurel took a step forward, looking left and right to see if someone showed up. But before she could even reach the altar, the ground started shaking. It's too dark to move to safety when debris starts falling, and the air's becoming thinner.

Is this the end? Fear creeps her body as she clings to the wall for support. Laurel doesn't want to die. She doesn't want to be buried alive in the darkness.

Laurel could hear her heart thump even with the shaking of the ground. She could feel her hand trembling and her legs losing strength. It's unusual. No matter what she does, she's stuck on the spot.

Move!

Panic starts to surround Laurel. She didn't understand why she felt that way. She didn't know why she felt terrified and scared.

Since the beginning, Laurel never cared about getting stabbed or dying on the job. She always believed that if death comes for her, she will follow without giving a fight. Nobody would care wherever Laurel lived or died, anyways. But now, she felt conflicted. She doesn't know why she's scared to face her end.

"Nymph Laurel, please take care."

"Please, my love, slow down, for I fear a scratch would leave your beautiful skin...."

"Your life is yours. You're responsible for it, but do not neglect it, for there are people who would be saddened to see yourself harmed. Take care, young one."

The conversation with the kid and Apollo rang to her ears, followed by the words of the Fates. All the things they said played on repeat like an old record, reminding Laurel that someone's there worrying and waiting for her to come home.

Home. The moment the thought crossed her mind, a warm liquid started to form around her eyes, making her vision blurry.

"Yeah, someone's waiting for me. I must go back."

Laurel willed herself to move until she managed to take a step little by little. But with the dark surrounding, she's blinded by the darkness causing her to fall off a bottomless pit.

Her fall has no end, but the deeper she falls, the more she gasps for air. It's hard to breathe, and she's losing all her strength as she sinks.

"Is this the end?" She clenched her fist, holding on to life. "Open the earth to enclose me or change my form, which has brought me into this danger!" Scarcely had she spoken, desperate to survive. "Help me, Apollo!" She called upon the man she never thought she'd call.

On the surface, far above the dark cave of Kronos, the gods and titans had been exchanging blows per blows. After the devastating earthquake that ended the Minoans, the battle between the gods and giants erupted, causing a tremor to the mortal realm.

The battle had lasted for weeks until Porphyrion was defeated. But the calvary of the Olympian gods didn't end there as the Titans attempted to attack and regain. It's a never-ending crossfire between the gods, with the mortals caught between and becoming casualties. It lasted a few more days until the sky cleared, and they defeated the titans.

On the same day the shaking stopped, Zeus laid his judgment to the Giants. Apollo, along with his siblings, was there to witness it all. But the god of light vanished before Zeus could finish talking.

Apollo heard the painful cry of his beloved. His heart squeezed when he couldn't respond. He didn't know what caused his beloved pain. But he still came rushing, sweeping her off her foot before she fell onto the flame of hell.

_

Bright lights, warm weather, and the chime of the birds that roam the vast sky woke Laurel in her slumber.

Where am I? She sat up, wary of the unfamiliar surroundings.

"Don't force yourself, my love. You're not yet in shape to move."

Laurel jolted upon hearing the god's voice. She wasn't expecting him to tend to her.

"W-Where are we?" she asked, avoiding contact with Apollo.

"Back to your forest, my love. I thought you'd be more comfortable if you're near the river."

Laurel did. She couldn't feel any heaviness and tightness anymore. Instead, she felt light and relaxed.

"Thank you...for saving me." The moment Laurel felt the god of light's warmth, she came to ease. She knew its Apollo who came to rescue her. She knew she's safe in his arms, and soon she lost consciousness.

"It's my duty to serve my beloved," he smiled, passing a medicinal herb to Laurel for her to drink. "I did vow to keep you safe, my love. You don't have to thank me."

Laurel nodded. "Still, thank you."

Laurel's thoughts traveled to when she arrived on this land. She remembered how she came to know the land and survive through the help of others. Laurel came to realize how much she relied on Apollo and the kid since then.

To rely on someone, it never happened before. But maybe it wasn't that bad.

Laurel never trusts anyone. She believed betrayal follows those who can't protect themselves. But it's proven wrong since she met those who lived in this land. They're far from friends or family, but they have a mutual understanding and respect.

"Do you know about the god of time?" Laurel asked, knowing full well that Apollo could lend her a hand.

"Yes. Had Kronos done something to you, my love?" Apollo frowned with a glint of worry visible on his tone.

Laurel shook her head. She had to clear it up and explain everything to god. He's her only hope.

"Apollo, listen." She knew what she's about to say might change the future and endanger her and Daphne. But Laurel believes Apollo would understand if she explains, so she told him who she is, her past and present. The Laurel Ambers that traveled back in time, not the nymph nor the one the god of light love.

***

It wasn't easy to get close to the god of time. Even if they know where he was, the Olympian gods have yet to come up with a punishment for them. But Apollo managed to convince Zeus to let him see Kronos.

Laurel wasn't sure what to expect, nor did she figure out what to ask first. But the moment she came face to face with the god, her question faded and forgotten.

"It's been a while, Laurel."

Surprised wasn't enough to describe what Laurel felt when she met the man. She never thought gods wander her world and live like a regular person. She never thought that her last client, the one who invited her to join his business, would be the god of time, Kronos.

"Why...what are you doing here?" Disbelief painted over Laurel's face still hasn't processed how she had met the man before.

"Time tells, young one. But even if I tell you my reason, is that the one you wanted to know?"

Kronos's right. Laurel wasn't there to ask what or why the god freely walked on earth in the present. What she needed to know was how to go back and why she traveled to this time.

"Why am I here, Kronos?"

"There's no specific reason why. It wasn't my desire to take you with me on my quest through different times." Kronos answered, shrugging like it didn't bother him.

"What do you mean by that?" Laurel demanded. "Tell me everything."

Kronos sighed. He knew this was coming. "You see, humans were not much different from the gods aside from power and immortality. If an ordinary mortal gains that so-called immortality, they could also become one of us. If gods lose their immortality, they will become ordinary mortals. It's all the same. But how does an immortal become mortal?"

Kronos's question only made things complicated. Laurel didn't even have a clue on what the point was.

"I don't understand," she replied, making the god of time laugh.

"Of course you don't. You never did want to be one of us."

The loud thump on Laurel's heart rang louder as if it knew something was about to happen.

"What do you mean?"

"There's no other Daphne."

The words explode like a bomb, which Laurel hasn't anticipated. She knew there's something unexpected about to happen, but she didn't think it would be about Daphne.

"The one left in this time and the one in the modern world are the same. I separated your immortal spirit from your mortal self, so you can exist as two different individuals. Since mortals have their life limit, the moment your human self reaches the end, your soul will be back and merge to your immortal spirit, and you'll exist in the timeline you're supposed to be."

"...But..."

Laurel's still processing the information that she couldn't form the words she wanted to ask. But Kronos could guess what she wanted to know. "It's the choice you made."

Laurel flinched when she heard the god's reply.

"Your mother met with the Fates a few years back. They told her that an Olympian god would one day come for her. But as you come to an age, you reject the idea of marriage. You despite the idea so much that you often run away. When our path crosses, you ask me to take you away from this world."

Laurel doesn't remember anything. She didn't know if everything Kronos said was the truth. But parts of her know it makes sense.

From the beginning, she didn't have a memory of her childhood. Her mind seems blank when she tries to think of them. Another thing was her so-called parents, who were never there. She's abandoned and always been alone. The people who stood as her parents didn't teach her much other than steal and work to survive. It's the life Laurel now grew accustomed to before her death. It's the life she had lived and known.

"Why did you take me to that time?"

"Because that's a period where you could be free. It's a place where choices were made on your own without hesitation nor caring about how your life ends."

It's as Kronos said. It's a place where your survival lies in how you play your role in society. It's a place where no one dictates what you do other than yourself.

"Of course, taking you with me to that world comes with a price. The balance of nature would tilt if I carelessly take you away, so I separated your mortal and immortal soul. One to escape the life she had and the other to fulfill the task of as a naiad nymph. Everything works how it should be, isn't that what you've wished, young nymph?"

No. It wasn't. But Laurel knew herself. She knew how her temper works and how she could be stubborn. Her young self might have wished things on impulse and didn't mean it to happen.

"You don't look happy, nymph."

She's not. She never thought of this conclusion.

"Your life's still your own, nymph. If you wish to stay in this world, you'll live as a naiad nymph. You'll have an immortal body and the peaceful life you should have."

It's true. The life she'd ever wanted would be in her hand. She can be free, but would it truly make her happy?

Kronos could see the cloud of doubt on the young nymph. Among all the deities, half-bloods, and mortals he'd met over the years, Laurel has a different air around her. Curiosity filled him, wanting to know what kind of life the young lady would lead from here on out.

"If I wanted to return, would there be a way?"

Kronos smiled, fascinated by the nymph's choice. "There's a price to pay."

"I don't mind. Since the beginning, my goal has always been to return."

"Then I'd grant you your wish as a gratitude for letting me keep my domain."

Kronos told her what needs to be done. After the judgment of all titans passes, they'll meet again, and so will be Laurel's last in ancient time.

"Time has always been a drag. But love's more fickle than that. It's like a poison rather than a sweet seduction. It lured anyone who followed the heart. Don't you think so, Apollo?"

Apollo has been quietly listening to the whole conversation. He didn't once interrupt nor voice out his feelings. He knew he had nothing to do. His beloved wanted to ask Kronos, and he's there for support and guidance. It should all be it. But what he never expected was how Kronos words just before he left would cut him deeper.

"Two different worlds can never be the same. They might look the same, but they lived a different life. Your Daphne is different from Laurel."

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