Chapter 7 Threads of Fate

The air was thick with anticipation, the scent of rain mixing with the sharp tang of magic as Elosie and her family stood together in the courtyard. The sky above them had darkened further, swirling in a chaotic dance that seemed to bend the very fabric of time. The flickering light they had seen earlier was no longer a distant anomaly—it was a storm, a rift in the fabric of reality itself.

"Whatever happens next, stay close," Meliodas said, his voice serious as he looked up at the darkened sky. His usual carefree demeanour was replaced with a deep focus that only came when true danger loomed.

Elosie could feel the weight of the moment settling on her shoulders. This wasn't just about protecting the future anymore—it was about preserving the very essence of time itself.

"What is it?" Elosie asked, her voice barely above a whisper, even though she knew everyone else felt the same fear. She glanced at her father, Lancelot, whose normally steady expression had a hard edge to it.

Lancelot looked at her, his eyes filled with both pride and concern. "It's a distortion. A rift in time itself. The timeline is unravelling, and we have to stop it before it tears everything apart."

"What caused it?" Ban asked, his voice laced with tension. The ever-jovial face of the immortal thief was now shadowed by a rare gravity, his gaze fixed on the sky.

"A lot of things," Meliodas answered, rubbing the back of his neck. "But mostly... him. The one who controls time. The battle we fought wasn't the end, it was just the beginning of a much bigger problem."

Elosie shivered at the thought of the man they had fought. The mysterious figure who could warp reality with a mere flick of his wrist. The battle had left them all shaken, but Elosie knew there was more at stake than her personal fear.

Her eyes shifted to her grandparents—Elizabeth and Elaine. Both women, fierce in their own right, stood at the ready. Elizabeth's usual calm had been replaced by a quiet intensity. Elaine, too, had a determined look on her face, but there was a tenderness in her gaze when she looked at Echo, as if trying to shield her from the weight of the world.

"We need to act fast," Elizabeth said, her voice firm but filled with concern. "The distortion is spreading, and if we don't do something soon, we'll lose everything. The past, the future... It will all be swallowed."

"We've been through worse," Ban said with a grin that didn't quite reach his eyes. "But this... this is a whole new level."

Elosie took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. She had faced so many questions about her own existence, her legacy, and the path that lay before her. Now, she was faced with a choice more crucial than any before. This wasn't just about her personal journey anymore. This was about saving her family, her world, and the balance of time itself.

"I'll do whatever it takes," she said, her voice firm, stepping forward. "We have to fix this."

Lancelot placed a hand on her shoulder, offering a reassuring smile. "We'll do it together. But remember, time is delicate. It's not about fixing the past—it's about protecting the future. We don't know what will happen if we try to change too much."

Elosie nodded, understanding the weight of his words. The timeline was a fragile thing. Even the smallest shift could have devastating consequences. They couldn't afford to make the same mistakes twice.

The sky above them rumbled ominously as the rift grew larger. The energy in the air was palpable—crackling, warping, alive with power. It was as if the very world around them was holding its breath, waiting for something to break.

"We need to find the source of the rift," Meliodas said, his hand gripping the hilt of his sword. "That's where the battle will be won or lost."

Elosie's eyes searched the skies, her mind racing. The rift in time was no longer just a distortion—it was a wound, and time itself was bleeding. She could feel it, as if the past and future were colliding, the echoes of her ancestors pulling her toward something greater than herself.

As they moved toward the centre of the courtyard, a sudden burst of light exploded from the rift, sending shockwaves through the ground. The force of it threw them off balance, and Elosie instinctively raised her arms to shield herself. A blinding white light consumed everything around them, and for a moment, Elosie couldn't tell where the world ended and where the distortion began.

When the light faded, they found themselves in a different place—one that didn't feel quite like the world they knew.

The air was thick with tension, and the landscape around them seemed familiar, but wrong—distorted. Mountains twisted in impossible shapes, and the sky shimmered with unnatural colours, hues of red and gold that flickered like a broken reflection.

"Is this... the future?" Elosie asked, her voice filled with wonder and trepidation. "Is this what happens if we fail?"

Ban's eyes scanned the unfamiliar world, his grin replaced with a frown. "If this is what we're up against, I don't think we're going to like the answer."

"This isn't the future," Meliodas said, his voice grim. "It's a fractured timeline. A result of the distortion caused by the manipulation of time. We're in a place between worlds, between moments. And we need to get out before it swallows us whole."

Elizabeth's eyes glinted with determination. "We can fix this. We just need to find the source."

Elosie stepped forward, her heart racing as the weight of the situation settled in. This was it. She was standing on the precipice of history, the fate of the future in her hands. Her family was with her, and together they could fix the timeline, restore balance, and prevent the collapse of everything they knew.

But it wouldn't be easy. Time itself was fighting back. And she would need every ounce of strength and courage she had to overcome it.

"Stay close," Lancelot said, taking her hand. "We're not just fighting for today. We're fighting for tomorrow."

Tristan smiled at her daughter and agreeing her husband. Knowing Lancelot instinct when something is going to happen but Lancelot know Tristan be alright as he keep an eye on his and Tristan daughter from the future.

Elosie looked up at her family, seeing the resolve in their eyes. This wasn't just a battle against a man who could control time. It was a battle against time itself.

And in that moment, Elosie realized something important. She didn't need to fight alone. They were bound together by something stronger than time.

Love. Legacy. And the unbreakable bond of family.

With a deep breath, Elosie took her first step into the fractured timeline, ready to face whatever came next.

Time was waiting for them.

And she was ready to answer.