(POV – Protagonist)
After we returned to the room where Chronas was waiting, the atmosphere lightened up a bit—or at least, lighter compared to a few minutes ago, when Victor was practically stabbing me with his eyes. Now, things seemed a little more relaxed. He didn't look like he hated me anymore, which was already a decent start.
Of course, it's not like he suddenly started liking me—nothing like that. Our relationship had just gone back to what it was before: him watching me with that look that says he's trying to figure out some strange little creature he just stumbled upon.
Maybe now there was a bit more warmth than before? Maybe. But honestly, I didn't really care. That kind of relationship suited me just fine—not too close, not distant enough to feel cold.
That was simply how things were between us now, and to me, it felt like the ideal balance. Anyway, with everyone finally gathered, the next topic on the table was about my separated power—the one that, apparently, was inside Victor.
(Are you sure you don't know? No idea at all?) I asked, letting my thoughts drift toward Chronas: (Did I really not tell you anything? No hint, no reason?) For a moment, I hesitated, feeling a faint discomfort mix with curiosity: (I mean... if what you said is true—that it's like splitting my life in two—then I wouldn't have done something like that without a reason. There must've been a motive... something specific, something important)
Chronas listened in silence, seeming to ponder for a moment. A spark of hope flickered in my eyes—brief, fragile—only to fade right away. Seriously... at this point, I think I'd started hating my past self for being such a cryptic idiot for no apparent reason.
"You didn't tell me, dear sister" Chronas replied, slowly turning to meet my eyes: "All you said was that you'd find a way to pull me out of the Flow of Time... and that I should trust you"
"Flow of time..." yet another phrase that sounds both strangely familiar and completely alien to me. Still, just by the name, it's easy to guess it has something to do with Chronas—the one who governs time itself.
But... ever since I heard those words, something inside me started to stir. A strange feeling—a mix of nostalgia and unease—as if part of me knew exactly what that phrase meant, even though my mind insisted on denying it.
Somehow, I knew it. As if its meaning was carved somewhere deep in the forgotten corners of my mind. There was also this odd sense of urgency, a feeling that I should do something about it, even though I didn't know what.
For a brief instant, as my thoughts tangled, my golden eyes met Chronas's crimson ones, tinged with blue pupils. That single glance was enough to awaken something—a distant memory, almost erased by time, rising back to the surface like a flame rekindling from ashes.
A place... formed in my mind. There was no ground, no sky—just a vast ocean of translucent light stretching endlessly, flowing toward a horizon that didn't exist.
The colors danced in harmony—shades of gold, blue, and silver intertwining as if alive—ethereal rivers in constant motion, without beginning or end.
Each current seemed to carry more than light: scattered fragments of memories, echoes of possibilities, glimpses of futures that might never come to pass. Everything was there—spoken, woven, intertwined—as if the very fabric of time had chosen to reveal itself before me. There, time didn't flow—yet it still existed.
Not as something physical or measurable, but as a living presence breathing between the empty spaces. It surrounded me like a colossal heart, pulsing in uneven rhythms. With every beat, the air trembled, and the very space around me seemed to warp, dragging memories and thoughts until they all blurred into a single current.
Sometimes, I saw faces. None of them familiar—faces I'd never seen, or maybe had forgotten. They appeared for fleeting moments, outlined by soft light, only to dissolve again into the luminous streams.
I was... floating. Or maybe walking? It was hard to tell—as if my body had forgotten what it meant to have weight or direction. The normal laws just didn't apply there.
The space around me curved in subtle, almost living ways, and every movement felt like both a step and a thought. Everything was paradoxically distant yet incredibly close, as if every point in that place was both the beginning and the end.
Yeah... in the midst of it all, someone was there. I can't remember their face—not the eyes, not the features, nothing. All that remains is the sensation of my lips moving, of words leaving them... but what did I say back then? I don't know. How long has it been since that moment? I don't know. And that place... where was it? I've never been there—or at least, not since I woke up in that anomalous forest.
When I came back to myself, a strange, uncomfortable feeling began to creep in—something familiar, irritating, something I honestly despised yet could tell was returning. Deep down, I knew exactly what it was.
My gaze turned to Chronas, who was quietly watching me. Her face remained serene, almost indifferent, but the faint blush on her cheeks betrayed her. There was tenderness in her eyes... a mix of love and admiration.
I sighed inwardly as that uneasy feeling kept growing—persistent, like an itch in the back of my mind: (Seriously... how could I have forgotten that annoying guy?)
Just thinking about it made my expression darken — a shadow of a scowl forming almost by instinct. It was something hard to control; my body reacted before I even noticed. And, as expected, the others didn't miss it. Even if my face moved just an inch, they'd be the first to pick up on it.
"Huh? What's with that look?" Victor asked, tilting his head slightly as he narrowed his eyes, curious about the sudden change. A barely noticeable smile curved his lips: "It's rare to see you show anything other than... indifference"
Emily and Laura also turned their eyes toward me, noticing my expression. With all three of them staring in silence, I let out another sigh — the second one in such a short time, which was rare for me.
(Someone really annoying must be losing control right about now) I muttered, not bothering to elaborate further.
At that point, I could clearly feel it — a strange itch crawling under my skin, as if something invisible was sliding beneath the surface. "Time" so to speak, was starting to slip out of control.
Without Chronas nearby, the flow she normally kept stable was now twisting chaotically, like a river that had lost its bed. After all, she's the one who regulates and moderates the flow of time — and without her presence, everything was slowly beginning to warp.
Chronas, who had remained silent until then, slowly closed her eyes. Her lips moved softly, as if giving shape to a thought that had been trapped in her mind for a long time.
"The flow of time is unstable..." she murmured, her voice low but steady enough to draw Victor's, Emily's, and Laura's attention.
A brief silence followed — dense, almost tangible. Then, Chronas opened her eyes — the ethereal glow in her irises flickering like a flame about to die out: "If I don't return... it'll spiral out of control"
Hearing those words, Victor's usually indifferent expression began to fade. It was always curious how strangely emotional he could get whenever the subject involved his sister.
"Wait... so that means you're leaving?" he asked, his voice heavy with anxiety and a deep worry that contrasted with his usual demeanor.
Chronas only nodded, not adding a single word — as if the answer was so obvious that explaining it would be pointless. Next to Victor, Emily watched everything with that calm, calculating gaze that was so characteristic of her.
"Time..." she muttered thoughtfully, letting the word hang in the air for a moment: "That's quite an ambiguous expression to use..." Her eyes narrowed slightly: "What exactly would happen if you didn't return?"
Her expression after asking that question was pure doubt — and, to be honest, I couldn't blame her. The phrase "return to the flow of time" could sound confusing even to me.
"Return" implies going back to a physical place, right? But the flow of time... well, it's not exactly a place. Not in the conventional sense. It exists, yes — but in a way that defies human logic. Something that can't be touched, only felt.
Emily, however, seemed to ignore that detail for now, focusing on what really mattered. Noticing her curiosity, I ended up answering in Chronas's place.
(It wouldn't be a very pleasant experience) I admitted honestly, crossing my arms as I stared into the void: (If the flow went out of control, some anomalies would slip through unchecked. But for humans... and for most lower life forms... it'd be like watching everything happen all at once — past, present, and future overlapping, looping endlessly. Their minds wouldn't be able to process such an overwhelming flood of information. It'd feel like their brains were boiling inside a microwave... until they just burst)
The three of them absorbed my words with wide eyes and half-open mouths. For a moment, none of them made a sound. Seeing their confused expressions, I could easily guess what was going through their minds — and with a half-smile, or something close to it, I added: (Sounds terrible, I know... but if it happened, it'd be over so fast you probably wouldn't even notice... maybe)
They still seemed speechless — unsure what to say. Not that it really mattered. The real issue was something else: if Chronas didn't return, bad things would certainly follow. They all knew that — fully aware of what was at stake — but, in the end, there was nothing they could do. Just wait.
"So that's it?" Victor muttered, disbelief heavy in his voice. His expression made it clear how much he hated the situation: "We're just gonna sit here, waiting, watching while my sister gets taken by... whatever this is? Do nothing?" He shook his head, his gaze hardening as his tone rose: "No. I refuse to accept that. I'm not letting them take my sister... not again"
Seeing their tense expressions, my voice echoed once more in their minds: (It'll be fine. I just remembered that, before I lost my memories, I came up with a way to trick that irritating guy) As I spoke, I kept my expression utterly indifferent — cold, calculated — though inside, a storm of excitement boiled.
The method itself wasn't that complicated — actually, it was fairly simple. Despite the grand name, "Flow of Time" was nothing more than a concept, an idea that, for some reason, chose to recognize Chronas as its "daughter" or something like that. But that concept doesn't think, see, or feel.
It's just an abstract force, without consciousness. All I need to do is send a substitute in Chronas's place. As long as that copy carries at least a fraction of her power, the Flow of Time wouldn't be able to tell the difference between the real Chronas and a mere imitation.
Of course, Chronas, Emily, Laura, and Victor — all watching me with puzzled expressions — had no idea what was going through my mind. Either way, I ignored them. There was work to do.
Creating life, as simple as it might sound, isn't something I can actually do. What I really do is shape a kind of shell — an empty vessel into which I can insert something... an essence, a spark, a presence. That's how it was with Chronas — and this time, I intend to follow the same principle. The difference is, this time, I won't put anything inside.
In simple terms, the so-called "Flow of Time" is nothing more than some fool playing god — or something close to it — without even realizing it's just a concept born from Chronas. A pretentious copy trying to pass itself off as something greater than it really is.