Chapter 10

Crystal woke up with a gasp.

Her mind was disturbed by the events of the previous day as she lay in the dimness of her familiar bedroom. Her mind was filled with images of her engaging in an intense battle, fueled by a powerful surge of anger. However, as she attempted to recall the specifics of what had occurred, she found it difficult to comprehend the source of her animosity towards her opponent.

Despite her defeat, she recognized something curiously familiar about the man's fighting style.

She gasped sharply as realization kicked in. She recollected her conversation with friends about their plans and the events from the previous day began to make sense. She had unexpectedly gone into Wrath mode and engaged in a heated battle with someone she couldn't recognize, yet felt an unexplainable enmity towards. It just didn't add up. The man hadn't even been present during their discussion. It was as if she had been daydreaming. Only now did she notice that the man's fighting style resembled Hayden's.

Once again, she found herself grappling with the realization that these strange episodes had caused her to lash out at Hayden for the second time, despite his unwavering loyalty and friendship. It was a disorienting feeling as if her mind had been hijacked by some unknown force and was acting out of its own accord. The memory of her uncontrolled rage and the pain it had caused her friends left a bitter taste in her mouth.

Wracked with an overwhelming sense of guilt, she drew her knees up to her chest and buried her face in them, feeling utterly exhausted from the chaos and turmoil she had unleashed upon those she cared about. In a small, barely audible voice, she murmured, "Maybe it would be better if I just left." The thought of abandoning everything and everyone she knew seemed both tempting and terrifying, and she couldn't shake the feeling that her presence only brought pain and destruction to those around her.

"Don't even think about it."

Crystal was startled by a familiar voice that spoke up suddenly. She turned her head to the right and was taken aback by the unexpected sight that met her gaze. A jumble of emotions, not all her own, swept over her, and a tear trickled down her cheek. "Destry?" she whispered in disbelief.

Trying to make sense of the situation, she rubbed her eyes slowly. She knew him from her memories as a friend who had played a significant role in Lincoln's life, especially during his military service. He had influenced Lincoln, for better or for worse, but she couldn't recall the specifics of what had happened, only how Lincoln had felt about it.

Destry was perched on a stool next to the bed, and his blue eyes glinted in the dimness of the room. Crystal glanced at him, noting the serene expression on his face. "I guess you've figured out what happened, haven't you?" he said, his voice calm and reassuring.

"How did you get here?" she asked, puzzled.

Destry chuckled and ran a hand through his hair. "Well, some things are hard to explain. I just had a feeling you were calling out to me," he replied, fixing her with an unwavering gaze and a comforting smile. Crystal looked away, wondering if she was dreaming. She couldn't comprehend how Destry had appeared, but she remembered him being the last thought on Lincoln's mind before she woke up.

Destry's smile remained in place as Crystal turned to look at him again. His bright blonde hair and ocean-blue eyes sparkled in the darkness and a warm feeling spread through the room. Crystal wasn't sure why she felt that way, but she didn't dislike it.

"I can tell you're struggling. Lincoln's memories are overlapping with your sense of reality." Destry said, interrupting Crystal's train of thought. At first, she had assumed she was interacting with a projection of Lincoln's memory, but now it seemed as if Destry was addressing her directly. "How did you know?" she asked, rubbing her eyes wearily. She couldn't shake the feeling that it was all just a dream and that she was only imagining herself talking to this person.

"What you've been experiencing wasn't just a matter of reliving Lincoln's memories. We're dealing with magic, after all. While some things are best left for you to discover on your own, to just put it in simple terms, you're forming a connection to Lincoln's life. It's like you're a guardian angel watching over him as he lives his life, but your role is limited to that. I can't say more," Destry explained, leaving Crystal feeling even more bewildered.

"But then, why are you here?" Crystal asked bluntly, bringing out a nervous chuckle from Destry.

Crystal's sharp question hung heavily in the darkened bedroom, filling the already gloomy atmosphere with a sense of foreboding. Destry's chuckle, though brief, did little to alleviate the heavyweight in the air. "I don't know," he admitted, his voice low and hesitant. "It just felt like I had to be here." He rose from the stool and made his way across the dark room to stand before the window, casting an eerie silhouette against the glass. His next words were spoken with deep concern. "But if you've come this far with them, do you really think it's wise to render all your efforts useless?"

Crystal's words were barely audible, her voice only above a whisper as she spoke. She looked down, her posture seeming to shrink in on itself as she spoke, her voice heavy with emotion, "I just don't want to be a burden to them."

Destry's response was firm and direct, cutting through the heaviness of the room with a clarity that Crystal found difficult to ignore. "It's too late for that," he stated plainly, turning to face her. Crystal looked up, her eyes meeting his, and asked simply, "Why?"

"No one said this was going to be easy," Destry replied, his tone measured and steady. "But then you started this and they decided to believe in you, even though it was difficult. They were prepared for this, they are willing to risk it in the hope that you'll make it all worth it." His words were a reminder of the faith that others had placed in her, a reminder that Crystal sorely needed.

"Do you really think leaving would help them now?" Destry continued, his voice rising with urgency. "They're definitely going to look for you. Don't you think it'll only add more burden?" Crystal's mind slowly cleared as she considered what he was saying. The gloomy mood of the room seemed to lift slightly as she began to see a glimmer of hope in the darkness.

Crystal lowered her gaze once again. "I didn't know you were this good with words," she said, a note of wonder in her tone. Destry chuckled in response, the sound a welcoming relief from the heavy atmosphere of the room. "Well you'd learn a lot after watching everything for almost a hundred years," he quipped, his tone lightening as he spoke.

The brief moment of comfortable silence was shattered as Destry spoke again, his voice serious and resolute. "I can help you," he said, his words ringing out in the stillness of the room.

Without speaking, Crystal lifted her head to meet his gaze. Destry interpreted this as a sign to keep speaking. "I don't know how, but I have a link to Lincoln. It's as if I can serve as a conduit between you and his memories. If necessary, I can assist you in reliving various timelines that you haven't already. There are certain restrictions involved, however," Destry elaborated.

Crystal considered his offer and contemplated the many timelines she could potentially explore. She was particularly intrigued by the period between Lincoln's escape from the facility and the memory she had relived in the beginning. It had no relation to what she wanted to do. However, once she had relived that time frame, she only wished to return to his 'present' timeline and remain there without wasting any more time.

"You can't be in another timeline apart from the standard one for too long, as you must have realized," Destry added.

Destry was right. Crystal found it difficult to remain in the 'past' timeline for an extended period of time, typically no longer than a few weeks. Even with significant gaps in time, the longest she had ever been in that timeline was only a year. However, Crystal did spend three years in that timeline during the period when Lincoln was comatose following the experiment that bestowed upon him his ability but whenever Lincoln lost consciousness, regardless of the duration, it felt like only a few moments to Crystal until he awakened once more.

Destry cautioned that she had only a limited time, possibly just a few months. While revisiting her memories, she may encounter a point where the experience abruptly ends, returning her to consciousness or her regular timeline with Lincoln. After that, she would never be able to revisit that particular memory. It was also possible that this could happen before the time limit, and she should be prepared for it. Destry explained that encountering such a termination point could be a jolting experience, much like receiving either excellent or terrible news, getting knocked out, or suffering a severe injury.

Crystal couldn't resist asking Destry, "How do know all this?" She was curious how someone like him could be so knowledgeable about Alvanian's supernatural elements, especially since he had never been there or learned anything about it while he was alive. Destry chuckled in response to her question and explained, "As I said before, I've been watching everything. There's hardly anything that I don't know. However, if what I try to convey is something that you're not meant to comprehend, then you won't be able to."

Crystal asked, "Tell me where ModCytron is." She hoped that Destry was mistaken about not being able to share certain information. However, Destry simply smiled, and his lips moved in a way that Crystal couldn't comprehend. She couldn't even hear his response. After a moment, she could understand him again, "The dead have knowledge of everything, but they cannot disclose it."

Crystal nodded slowly, taking in all the information that Destry had shared with her. While she appreciated his assistance, she was aware that this endeavour was still fraught with risks and that time was of the essence. Without delay, she asked Destry, "How do I jump to the timeline I want?"

Destry grinned, as though he anticipated her inquiry. "The process is straightforward. Close your eyes and concentrate on the timeline you wish to enter. Visualize it with as much clarity as possible, and then let your magic take over. I'll be with you to offer guidance, but you must exercise caution, Crystal."

Crystal nodded and said, "Okay, let's begin." She took a deep breath and shut her eyes. She envisioned the day when Lincoln had fled from the German facility and concentrated on it with all her strength. She sensed a surge of power surging inside her, and then everything went dark.

To be continued...