CHAPTER 24: THE ECHOES OF TIME
The shattered hourglass burst into a million glittering fragments, each shard swirling with light before vanishing into thin air. I gasped, staggering back as a wave of warmth flooded my chest. The world around me shimmered—like time folding in on itself.
And then… he appeared.
Kyle.
Standing a few feet away, confused, blinking rapidly as if waking from a long dream. His shirt was torn, and he looked disoriented, but alive.
"Kyle?" I whispered.
He turned toward me slowly, his eyes locking onto mine. "Rockie?"
I ran to him, crashing into his chest as tears streamed down my face.
"You're back. You're back!" I cried, gripping him tightly.
He held me for a moment, then pulled back just enough to study my face. "What happened? Where am I? I… I thought I was dying."
"You were," I murmured, brushing a strand of hair from his forehead. "But I brought you back. I had to."
His hands trembled as they cupped my cheeks. "You're crying."
"I almost lost you forever."
He looked over my shoulder, eyes widening. "What is that?"
I turned. Behind us, the Sword of Time hovered above the ground, spinning slowly, its light pulsing like a heartbeat. Time was still unstable—warped from being manipulated. Cracks rippled through the sky above the fortress.
Velvet appeared beside us, her expression grim. "You brought him back… but at a cost."
My stomach twisted. "What cost?"
She pointed toward the sword. "The balance has been broken. The moment you reversed time to resurrect Kyle, you disrupted the flow of fate. Something has awakened."
As if on cue, a low, thunderous growl echoed across the sky.
Suddenly, the ground split open, revealing a glowing rift—swirling with crimson and black energy.
From the chasm, a monstrous figure began to rise.
It wasn't Rafaal.
It was older. Bigger. Terrifying.
Its skin was cracked stone, its eyes burning like molten lava. Six wings spread from its back—feathered, but corrupted. In its hands, it held a staff of bone and fire.
Velvet's voice was barely above a whisper. "That… is Chronozar—the Keeper of Time. He's the one even Rafaal feared."
Kyle stepped back, his voice shaky. "What… what did we unleash?"
"Chronozar was sealed centuries ago," Velvet explained. "The gods imprisoned him for trying to rewrite the timeline. But now that you've broken the hourglass and bent time, he's free."
I clenched my fists, my heart pounding. "We can fight him."
"No," Velvet said sharply. "You can't fight him… yet."
"Then what do we do?"
She handed me a scroll. It shimmered with ancient symbols. "The gods once forged a key—a Lock of Time—that can seal Chronozar again. But it's hidden in the Hollow of Echoes, a realm outside space and time."
"How do I get there?"
Velvet met my eyes. "You'll need to go alone. The Hollow doesn't allow company… or mortality. You'll have to leave your body behind and travel as spirit."
Kyle gripped my hand. "No. I just got you back. You're not leaving me again."
"I don't have a choice," I whispered. "If Chronozar remains free, he'll rewrite history… erase us all."
He looked down, jaw clenched, then nodded. "Then promise me you'll return."
I leaned in and kissed him gently. "I promise."
Velvet chanted an incantation. A silver flame engulfed me, and my physical body crumbled into dust—safely stored in a time stasis. My spirit rose, glowing blue and weightless.
"Goodbye, for now," I said, my voice echoing.
Then I vanished.
The Hollow of Echoes
It was a realm of silence and sound all at once.
Time stood still here, and yet I could hear every memory ever spoken—every scream, every whisper, every tear shed in history.
Floating through the silver mist, I heard voices.
Liz's laugh.
Raiden's whisper.
Kyle's confession of love.
I pressed on.
Eventually, I reached a bridge made of light, stretched across an endless void. At its center stood a glowing vault.
Inside—it had to be the Lock of Time.
But guarding it… was a figure that made my spirit tremble.
Me.
Another version of me.
Her eyes were empty. Her aura was cold.
"I'm what you'll become if you fail," she said flatly.
I stepped closer. "I won't fail."
She unsheathed a mirror-blade. "Then prove it."
The Battle of Selves
We clashed—spirit against spirit.
Every strike echoed like thunder, every parry sparked memory.
She showed me every weakness: my hesitation, my pain, my regrets.
But I fought back with love—my memories with Kyle, my friendship with Liz, my determination to end this war.
Finally, I knocked the blade from her hand.
She smiled faintly, then faded.
"You're ready."
The vault opened.
The Lock of Time was a crystal—shaped like an hourglass, glowing with divine energy.
I reached for it.
A searing pain shot through my core—but I didn't let go.
I couldn't.
With one final pull, I grasped it.
The Hollow began to collapse.
I screamed, using all my will to teleport back to the realm of the living.
Return to the Fortress
My body reformed as my spirit returned. Kyle caught me as I stumbled.
"You're back!"
I nodded, breathless. "I have it."
Chronozar turned, his eyes narrowing.
"You dare use that against me?"
"Yes," I said, lifting the Lock of Time. "I do."
With all my strength, I raised it to the sky. A vortex of golden light descended, wrapping around Chronozar.
He roared, wings thrashing, but the seal held firm.
And then—with a final flash—he was gone.
Sealed once more.
The skies cleared.
Time was at peace.
But for how long?
I turned to Kyle, exhausted.
"It's over," I whispered.
"No," he said, brushing hair from my face. "It's just the beginning."
TO BE CONTINUED…