Arian clenched his fists, threads humming with energy, aware of the dangers ahead, yet more certain than ever: he would face them. He would master the forbidden thread. He would face Orios again—not as a boy learning his place in the world, but as a force capable of shaping fate itself.
---
The northern mountains were quiet under the pale light of dawn, but the calm was deceptive. The crimson portal flickered intermittently at the horizon, its energy pulsating with an unnatural rhythm. Arian stood at the edge of the clearing, threads extending from his veins like glowing tendrils, sensing the chaotic flow of power that radiated from the anomaly.
"This portal… it's different from the last," Kaelor said, arms crossed, eyes scanning the jagged horizon. "It isn't just a gateway. The energy is unstable, fractured—like time itself is bleeding through."
Lianna adjusted her sword strap, her sharp eyes narrowing. "Then we proceed with caution. We can't know what's on the other side, or how Orios might manipulate it. But we cannot leave it unchecked either."
Sera stepped forward, voice calm and precise. "The threads are sensitive to temporal anomalies. Arian, your fifth thread will react to the portal's distortions. We can use it to map the unstable field, understand its structure, and—hopefully—predict any immediate danger."
Arian swallowed, feeling the pulse of the portal echo through his veins. The fifth thread stirred, alive and restless, brushing against the edges of his consciousness. Its whispers were urgent, almost frantic. *It's calling… something is waiting…*
---
The group gathered around a makeshift map of the region. Kaelor laid out a plan.
"We approach in pairs. Lianna and Arian will move closest to the portal. Sera and Maera will maintain the perimeter and provide support. The threads can extend beyond physical reach—Arian, your senses will guide us."
Arian nodded, threads vibrating, anticipation and fear mingling in his chest. He could feel the portal's energy tugging at him, teasing, tempting. This was not merely a threat—it was a message, a challenge.
As they advanced, the air around the portal shimmered with heat and distortion. Time seemed to stutter. A fallen leaf would hang in the air for a heartbeat longer than nature intended; a bird's wings paused mid-flight before resuming. Arian's threads reacted violently, pulsing along his arms, legs, and chest.
"Steady," Lianna murmured, placing a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Listen to the thread, not just your fear. Let it guide, not control."
Arian exhaled, centering himself. The threads extended tentatively into the portal's influence, brushing against the chaotic energy. Patterns appeared—glimpses of multiple timelines overlaying each other, impossible to comprehend fully, yet faintly readable through the thread's awareness.
---
Suddenly, a vision flashed—a fragment of the future. Orios, standing in an alternate version of the mountains, smiling, crimson energy weaving around him. His voice echoed faintly, carried across temporal threads:
"You are not ready, boy. Not yet. But soon… soon, the threads will lead you to me, and you will understand their true purpose… or fall."
The vision vanished as quickly as it came, leaving Arian staggered. The fifth thread vibrated in response, thrumming along his nerves like a living heartbeat. Lianna's grip on his arm steadied him.
"That was him," Arian whispered, voice tense. "I felt him… even without being near."
Kaelor's jaw tightened. "Orios's mastery of time is growing. He can manipulate events from afar, projecting himself through the echoes of temporal anomalies. This is no longer a mere fight. It's a chess game spanning multiple timelines. One wrong move and…" His voice trailed, unspoken doom hanging in the air.
Sera stepped closer, her analytical eyes scanning the portal. "We need data. We cannot engage directly—not yet. Arian, your thread can map the portal's fluctuations. Detect weak points, instabilities, and any temporal ripples. This will give us an edge."
Arian nodded, threads extending into the portal's chaotic energy. They vibrated violently, sensing multiple potential outcomes, timelines folding over each other, some stable, others ending in disaster. Each pulse was a warning, a choice.
---
Hours passed as Arian focused, mapping the portal, feeling its influence seep into the surrounding forest. Threads wove intricate patterns, responding to unseen currents, marking weak points, potential hazards, and hidden temporal traps.
Lianna observed silently, occasionally offering guidance. "You're doing well, but remember—every surge drains you. Overextend, and the threads could lash back. They are alive, not just tools."
Maera and Sera monitored the perimeter, silently intercepting subtle disturbances: shadows forming and dissolving unnaturally, echoes of past fights playing across the terrain like faint illusions. It was clear—Orios had already touched this space, left residual energy, and perhaps set a trap.
A sudden pulse from the portal caused Arian to stagger, threads flaring uncontrollably. Lianna caught him, their proximity accidental, yet charged with unspoken tension. Arian felt a strange calm amidst the chaos, an understanding forming with the fifth thread.
*We are not alone. The threads remember, they see, they anticipate…*
He looked toward the portal. Beyond it, multiple versions of reality coexisted, each thread a path, each path a possibility. And somewhere within, Orios waited, patient and aware, the first true game of temporal chess unfolding.
---
Night fell. The team regrouped at the clearing, exhausted but informed. The map was filled with new data points, potential pathways through the portal, and warnings of temporal instabilities.
Kaelor spoke finally, voice heavy but determined. "This is the beginning. Orios is no longer simply a target. He is a shadow across time itself. Arian, your mastery of the fifth thread is crucial. Each pulse, each pattern you detect, is a step closer to understanding… and surviving."
Arian clenched his fists, threads glowing faintly in the darkness. Fear, anticipation, and determination mingled within him. He knew the path ahead was treacherous, layered with temporal dangers, but for the first time, he felt prepared. Not fully, but enough to act.
Outside, the crimson portal pulsed, a silent challenge. Arian whispered, almost to himself, threads responding to his resolve:
*I will follow you, Orios. Across time, across threads. I will find you… and I will master what you wield.*
---