The mansion's air was thick with tension — a storm gathering just beneath the surface. Zero stood near the window, watching the rain slick the streets below. The world outside was oblivious to the chaos inside these walls. But inside, everything was unraveling.
(Time was slipping like sand through his fingers. Faster now. The countdown was becoming a roar.)
Vanya was distant, quieter than usual. The violin in her hands felt heavier — not just a tool for music but a weapon she didn't yet understand. Zero could feel the power simmering beneath her skin, waiting to ignite.
The others avoided her, or looked at her with fear wrapped in pity. Except Zero. He knew what it was like to be both feared and forgotten.
In the kitchen, Allison was pacing, her face a mask of frustration and worry. Luther sat heavily at the table, shoulders hunched as if carrying the weight of the world. Diego leaned against the wall, silent but watchful. Klaus wandered aimlessly, muttering to himself.
Five was standing apart, eyes sharp and calculating. He had been moving like a man possessed, racing against a future only he fully understood.
Zero approached Five quietly.
"We don't have much time," Five said without looking up. "The Commission is closing in. The Handler's game is getting darker."
Zero nodded. (I've seen her before. She's more dangerous than any of us realize.)
Five's voice dropped. "And Vanya… she's not just breaking. She's about to shatter."
Zero's heart clenched. (I've seen that moment. It's coming faster than any of us want to admit.)
Suddenly, the sound of glass breaking echoed through the mansion. Klaus had thrown a chair against the wall.
"They're coming," Klaus whispered. "Hazel and Cha-Cha. They're here."
Zero's breath hitched. (The timeline tightens. The noose is pulling.)
The siblings scrambled. Allison ushered Vanya away from the windows. Luther grabbed a makeshift weapon. Diego checked the locks.
Zero stayed calm. He closed his eyes, reaching out with his mind to the threads of time.
(One day left to stop this. One chance to rewrite the ending.)
In the dim hallway, a shadow flickered. Hazel and Cha-Cha appeared — their smiles twisted, eyes cold.
The standoff was silent but electric. Time seemed to slow, the moment stretching.
Zero stepped forward. "You won't take her," he said, voice steady.
Hazel smirked. "We're just doing our job."
"Then so am I."
With a breath, Zero bent time — just a fraction — freezing Hazel mid-step.
Chaos erupted.
The siblings fought. Five's precision, Diego's fury, Luther's strength. Klaus unleashed powers born of pain and loss. Allison used her voice to sway the tide.
But Zero's focus was on Vanya. She trembled, tears streaming as power spilled uncontrolled.
Zero reached out, taking her hand. "You're not alone. Not anymore."
Her eyes met his, filled with confusion and fear.
"I've seen every ending," he whispered. "But this one can be different."
A surge of energy pulsed between them. Time bent and twisted, but held.
The battle was far from over.
But for the first time, hope flickered.