Chapter 419: Blackmailed (7)

Perseus POV

Since my parents visiting during such a time is such a rare event, everyone decided to clear the living room and put some mattresses and blankets in one place so we could all sleep together, it was such a sweet thing, but it was a bit uncomfortable for me.

I didn't mind much, but I woke up to something, and for the first time, I felt something signaling me from my spatial storage, weird, right?

But sure enough, when I checked it and took something out, it was that time machine thing again, glowing like the sun, so I woke Rosa and Dawn up since they might know more about it than me, and sure enough.

"You'll have to use it every once in a while." Rosa instructed, "It contains the power of the many gods all mixed together, and these powers weren't meant to be mixed, so to keep it stable, you need to use its excess energy to time travel and keep it stable. Dad...my first dad...plan to have it destroyed, but..."

Yeah, I died.

"I see, so I'm going to have to use it, huh..."

"Yes, either to go to an alternate timeline or the past." she replied, "Based on how it's glowing, you got 5 hours at best before it teleports you, I think you can have your astral body teleported or your whole physical body like last time, though if it's astral, I think you will need to find the machine to come back, and you'll have a time limit since your physical body may die."

"I was really over my head when I wanted to keep this thing, but I might as well bring Leilah and Ruka along since the physical one is safer."

Buddy too, I'd rather leave him here, but with the goddesses watching over everyone, it should be more than okay. I don't know about the progress of Cain, but they should be coming here soon, and that's going to be the biggest challenge as God is going to be temporarily on his side.

"Can I come along?" Rosa asked

"No, stay here, you're safer."

"But...I want to help."

"...Not this one, but when I come back, I'll bring you along to do some stuff. From your eyes, you're more likely going to disobey me if I don't allow it, so just let me have this one, alright?"

"Okay..." she then backed off and headed back to sleep.

I had Dawn charge it up for me as I went to wake up the 3 that I was going to bring along, more like they had no choice since the roses were connected to me. Vince woke up as well, but I just told him to tell our parents not to worry and that I'll be back soon enough

*****

The moment I stepped into the portal of time thing, I could feel that something was different. The swirling sensation was there like the first time, but it was as if the very fabric of reality was shifting in a way I had never experienced before.

The colors around me were more vivid, and the air crackled with an otherworldly energy. I had done this time travel thing countless times before, but this was like nothing I had ever encountered. 

Just standing here, it feels as if the world around me has taken on a dreamlike quality, with colors appearing more vivid and sounds more immersive. This must be what Snoop Dogg feels like all the time.

|Ay, we're only at chapter 419.|

As I emerged on the other side, I found myself in a place that was both familiar and alien. It was as if I had stepped into a different dimension, a world that was a subtle yet significant variation of the one I knew. The sky was a shade of blue I had never seen before, and the landscape was dotted with strange, crystalline formations.

Leilah, Ruka, and Buddy weren't there though, and...it was my astral body that was here, not my physical one.

And then, I saw a lady...She was standing there, amidst the surreal landscape, like a timeless sentinel.

I can recognize her despite never seeing her before...she gave off the same energy that the time gauntlet was projecting. Lady Time or whoever she is, the personification of time itself, had taken on a form that was...ancient...to say the least.

She appeared very old, her skin was like weathered parchment. Her hair was silver in color cascade. But her eyes... were pure black with the occasional twinkling. She wore a flowing gown that seemed to shift and shimmer every second.

"You have traversed the boundaries of reality itself, traveler. What brings you to this place, at this moment?" she asked as soon as her gaze fell on me

"I... I didn't mean to come here. It was a mistake, I think. I've never been to a dimension like this."

"Kidding, I summoned you here."

"Summoned? Why? What do you want from me?"

"I brought you here to deliver a warning, traveler. Your journey through time has not gone unnoticed, and the delicate balance of reality can be disrupted by your actions. Time is a fragile construct, and excessive meddling can have dire consequences."

"Is this about Rosa?"

"Yes, though fortunately for you, her situation is a bit unique, her existence is not that significant-"

"Hey, I know that you're lady time and stuff like that, but since we're adopting her now, she's my daughter, so like...respectfully, don't say that she's insignificant, respectfully."

"Well, I'm here to warn you to remember that time is not a plaything. It is a force of nature, a fundamental aspect of the universe. Treat it with the respect it deserves." she responded, "The other Perseus is a force that can hold his own...but you...you're weak, so try not to just bring things over from different timelines and alternate universes, even I can't control the consequences."

"Right, noted."

"Now go, you seem like you need to solve something important." she said and waved her hand.

Within the blink of an eye, I found myself standing in this town of sorts and a lot of people staring at us, which was probably because we just dropped in here out of nowhere, but as soon as I looked up, I saw that we were underwater.

"Is this into the Percy-verse or something?!" a familiar voice exclaimed, "Why the hell are you here?"