Confused by Time (Percy Jackson fanfic) (currently being rewritten)

Chapter 53 - Sky and Shadow

The absence of the physical form of Hope was stifling, the coldness encroaching on all sides as all the lights in the van switched off. The coldness reminded Kronos briefly of his childhood, whenever he was in Ouranos' presence – cowering before his father in fear and the deadening iciness which spread through his veins in his father's presence – before he ground his teeth and banished the thought from his mind.

Kronos sensed it as the shadows writhed around him, mockingly caressing the back of his neck and circling around him, tugging at his hair and arms. He held in the anger rising up in him as he tried to jerk away from the shadows.

"Well," a silky voice murmured, "isn't this nice?"

Erebus.

Kronos stilled, tilting his head out to the side slightly as he strained his hearing for any noises the Primordial made. Out of all the Primordials, the Lord of Shadows was the quietest.

"Unfortunately," Erebus continued, "I cannot kill you yet... but Ananke said nothing about harming you. You've upset a great many important beings recently, Kronos, and you know it."

The Primordial's voice was coming from all around Kronos, from all the shadows in the van, and Kronos had no clue about where the Primordial actually was. Until he felt an ice-cold blade settle on his shoulder next to his neck. The Titan swallowed, relaxing his entire body and the ropes keeping him suspended.

"Clever," Erebus remarked, the blade's edge scrapping along the top of Kronos' shoulder. "Very clever. But foolish."

The blade dug down, easily piercing Kronos' flesh before being jerked out, ichor staining the Stygian Iron. "Shall we remove your blindfold? I'd love to see the pain in your eyes as I mutilate you."

With a flick of the Primordial's wrist, his sword slashed through the blindfold, dragging across Kronos' face, and causing the piece of fabric to flutter to the ground. The Titan blinked, tilting his head towards the ground only for Erebus to chuckle and shake his head, the point of his sword suddenly beneath Kronos' chin and forcing his head up.

"No, no. That won't do. I want you to look at me, Titan," the Primordial sneered.

If the gag was off, Kronos would have spat in Erebus' face. As it was, he could only glare and hope he looked terrifying enough while being helplessly tied up and on his knees before the Primordial.

Erebus snorted. "Oh, don't be like that, Kronos. This is my vengeance for you being a complete and utter bastard while you were younger."

Right, Kronos thought. He remembered his brothers and him resorting to stealing from the Primordial when they were younger. And Kronos personally created the scar that ran from Erebus' temple to his chin, crossing over his eye and nose.

"You escaped me then," Erebus chuckled, "but look at you now!" His blade slashed across Kronos' chest. "On. Your. Knees!" Each word brought a new swipe of the sword, the Primordial's face etched with fury, the last word bringing a slash across Kronos' cheek. "The great Lord Kronos."

Kronos clenched his hands into a fist, fervently wishing he could kill the Tartarus-damned Primordial, but he couldn't even speak.

Erebus smirked, crouching down in front of Kronos and grasping his chin, forcing him to look into the Primordial's eyes. "It's a shame, nephew," he mused. "Really. You could join me," he breathed, brushing some black hair away from Kronos' eyes with a finger, "and this could all end. I'll shadow travel you away from here," the Primordial offered. "Elpis doesn't need to know. It would be so simple, Kronos. I'll even ensure Perseus survives, if you wish. You may keep him as your pet."