FICTION
him. Rounding the corner into
hovering god. The chains in Janus’
runs down the timelines of the
the Pristine base a mechanical
arms shift with a clicking sound as
choice before him. The shock
and overly chipper voice calls out
he motions with his hands. “I just
returns, and his eyes widen once
his name, pulling him from his
heard the terrible news!”. Janus’
more. Both branches of time
thoughts for a moment as his
excessively polite voice loses a
are broken, scattered and on the
eyes re-focus on the present.
little bit of its chipperness and
brink of unraveling, filled with
energy, but not its exaggerated
holes like the little boy’s murder.
is the only deity Chronos could
inflection. “You are investigating
An uneasy, uncomfortable feeling
relate to; another primordial god
the incident I presume? I am
builds in his chest, a feeling he
presiding over an abstract but
available if you require any
has never felt before. The very
necessary domain. A clicking
assistance,” he continues
core of his world, the foundation
sound comes from Janus’ neck as
before Chronos can reply, his
of his existence is falling apart
his head turns from young to old,
hands frantically moving as his
right in front of his eyes and
a subconscious response to the
spaulders reposition themselves.
he feels powerless to stop it.
grim atmosphere hanging in the
Watching the ever moving god,
air, as he floats towards Chronos.
Chronos is both amused and
Janus silently steps forward,
Janus not invoking the immediate
annoyed. As similar as the two
lightly takes hold of Chronos’ arm
disgust the other deities do makes
are in one regard, they are just
and opens a portal under their
Chronos more willing to stop his
as dissimilar in other aspects.
feet. They slowly sink through the
thinking for a short time and talk
But despite the differences,
portal, away from the valley and
to the God of Transitions. Pausing
Janus is the only one among all
into Chronos’ bell tower. There
the unending loop in his mind, he
the deities participating in the
he ensures the primordial is safe
responds to his equal’s greeting.
war that Chronos would trust.
as he struggles with whatever
Stepping out of the fountain
“Janus,” he simply states in
“Yes, I am,” he replies as
Seeing his friend in distress,
occupies his mind, leaving a
his monotonous timbre, slowing
listless as always, “thank you”.
figment of himself hovering
his pace as he comes closer to the
Before continuing on, he quickly
in the room before opening
46 The SMITE Community Magazine Issue #8
The GameOn Magazine