Chapter 2: Revealing Past

Yaxoc and Yaxocara wandered through the mysterious dimension, their steps echoing as they observed the shifting, surreal environment. Suddenly, the ground trembled, and a whirlwind of golden light engulfed them.

"What's happening?!" Yaxoc shouted as countless clocks materialized, spinning and ticking erratically.

"We're being pulled into a time dimension! Brace yourself!" Yaxocara yelled, shielding her face from the blinding glow.

The clocks began to spin faster, releasing bursts of energy that shimmered like sunlight.

"This must be the gateway to the second stage of the Realm of Spirit," Yaxocara said. "Quick, cover your eyes! The next surge of energy will be brighter than a supernova!"

The pair shielded their faces just as the clocks exploded into radiant light. In an instant, they were transported to a majestic palace of gold and ivory. Floating high above the palace was a colossal, 600-foot clock adorned with intricate runes. Its central hand housed a realistic, unblinking eye that stared down at them, radiating authority.

"State your business," the clock intoned, its voice deep and resonant.

Yaxocara stepped forward, keeping her composure. "Are you the Divine Clock, the guardian of this dimension?"

"State your business," it repeated, its eye narrowing.

"We seek passage to the second stage of the Realm of Spirit," Yaxocara said firmly. "What must we do?"

The Divine Clock's pupil shifted, taking the shape of an intricate timepiece. "The second stage can only be accessed by those deemed worthy. To prove your worth, you must face my guardian."

A shimmer of light revealed a figure stepping forth. He wore an orange shirt, black pants, and a black owl mask. Atop his head floated a miniature clock, ticking ominously.

"This is Chronos Owl, my time guardian," the Divine Clock said. "Defeat him, and you may proceed."

Chronos Owl tilted his head curiously. "How did you two end up here?"

"We were sucked into some kind of temporal vortex," Yaxoc replied.

"Hm," Chronos Owl mused. "That vortex connects countless timelines. It's rare to end up here by accident, but no matter. Which of you will face me?"

Yaxocara raised her hand. "I will."

Chronos Owl chuckled. "Very well, Yaxocara of another timeline. Let's see if you're worthy."

Without warning, Yaxocara lunged forward, her punches swift and precise. Chronos Owl blocked her strikes effortlessly and countered with a kick. She dodged, countering with a jab that almost connected, but Chronos Owl vanished. A split second later, he reappeared behind her, landing a punch that sent her stumbling.

"What was that?!" Yaxocara exclaimed, regaining her balance.

"Time erasure," Chronos Owl said nonchalantly. "I manipulate time itself—erase, rewind, stop—you name it."

Yaxocara gritted her teeth. "Then I'll just have to find a way to stop you."

She feinted left and lunged right, landing a kick to his side. Chronos Owl stumbled briefly but recovered, grabbing her leg and slamming her into the ground. Yaxocara winced but quickly rolled away, glaring at him.

Chronos Owl smirked. "You're persistent, but it won't be enough. Show me your full power."

"Fine," Yaxocara said, her voice steady. She crossed her arms and chanted, "Angelic Essence, Demonic Essence, fuse together let the Duality in!"

Her body surged with energy as opposing auras—one pure white, the other shadowy black—intertwined around her. She lunged at Chronos Owl, her movements faster and stronger. Her punch sent him skidding across the palace floor.

"Impressive," Chronos Owl said, standing. "But not enough."

He snapped his fingers, freezing time. Moving through the stillness, he barraged her with strikes. As time resumed, the blows landed in quick succession, forcing Yaxocara to her knees.

Chronos Owl turned to Yaxoc. "You're next."

Yaxoc smirked. "You rely on time, but what happens if I destroy the very fabric you depend on?"

Chronos Owl frowned. "Destroy the space-time continuum? Impossible. You wouldn't dare—"

Yaxoc's fists glowed with cosmic energy. "Let's find out."

As Chronos Owl stopped time, Yaxoc moved, shattering the frozen reality with a single strike. Shocked, Chronos Owl reeled. "You broke through?! How—"

"I've trained to break limits," Yaxoc said, lunging forward. His punch disrupted the flow of time, causing Chronos Owl's powers to falter.

"No! This can't be happening!" Chronos Owl shouted as Yaxoc struck the ground with immense force, destabilizing the continuum. The palace quaked as reality began to collapse.

The Divine Clock restored balance, stabilizing the dimension. Its eye gazed down at the victorious Yaxoc and Yaxocara, who had regained consciousness.

"That was an impressive display," it said. "You are worthy. Proceed to the second stage."

With a wave of its hand, the Divine Clock opened a portal, sending Chronos Owl away and guiding Yaxoc and Yaxocara to their next challenge.

"Let's hope the second stage is easier than this," Yaxoc said with a grin.

Yaxocara laughed. "Knowing our luck? Not a chance."

Together, they stepped into the portal, ready for whatever lay ahead.

Yaxocara and Yaxoc materialized in a serene, picturesque land. Yaxoc immediately recognized the surroundings, his heart skipping a beat.

"Wait... this is United Chronic," Yaxoc murmured. "Our home? Could this be... a past timeline?"

Yaxocara's gaze scanned the familiar landscape, her expression contemplative. "It must be... everything feels untouched, like a memory coming to life."

As they strolled through the peaceful realm, Yaxoc's eyes caught sight of something extraordinary. He froze, pointing toward two familiar figures.

"Is that—? No way, that's me! A younger me!" Yaxoc exclaimed, his voice tinged with disbelief.

Yaxocara chuckled softly. "So, you looked human once, huh? Before you got your hands on the rebooted Chromatic Shard... fascinating."

Yaxoc's gaze shifted, narrowing as he spotted someone lurking nearby. "Hold on... is that Lucius? What's he doing here?"

Yaxocara's eyes widened as she pieced it together. "Oh no! He's trying to kill your younger self so you'll cease to exist!" Her voice rose in urgency. "We need to stop him—now!"

Without hesitation, the two sprinted toward Lucius, but before they could reach him, Lucius darted forward, grabbing the younger Marcus.

"He's got Marcus!" Yaxocara shouted. "We can't let him get away!"

The chase was on. Yaxoc and Yaxocara pursued Lucius with everything they had, but before they could close the gap, a blur shot past them.

Lucius stumbled backward, caught off guard by a swift, devastating punch from an unexpected figure. The force knocked him to the ground, causing him to drop young Marcus, who scrambled away, frightened but unharmed.

Yaxoc and Yaxocara skidded to a halt, their attention now on the stranger who stood between them and Lucius.

The figure turned, his presence commanding. He wore a striking purple jacket and black pants. Above his head floated a broken time clock, its shattered remnants glowing faintly. His face was obscured by a familiar owl mask, and his hair, a brown streaked with bacon-like texture, glinted in the light.

"Yo," the figure greeted casually, tilting his head slightly. "So, you two passed the test, huh? Which one of you fought my brother?"

Yaxoc blinked, perplexed. "Your... brother?"

"Yeah," the man replied, hands in his pockets. "Chronos Owl. He's my younger sibling. I'm Tempo Chronos, by the way—another time guardian. I'm here to clean up an anomaly."

Before Yaxoc could respond, Lucius groaned, rising shakily to his feet. His glare burned with hatred as he sized up Tempo Chronos, Yaxoc, and Yaxocara.

"You pests..." Lucius growled. "You've ruined everything again. But mark my words—I'll get you next time, guardian."

With a flash of dark energy, Lucius vanished.

Yaxoc stared at the empty space where Lucius had stood, then turned to Tempo Chronos. "Why's he so obsessed with killing our past selves?"

Tempo Chronos sighed, brushing dust off his jacket. "He knows the rules of causality. Kill a past version of someone, and the future version ceases to exist. He was after your younger self, but when you intervened, he panicked and grabbed Marcus instead."

"Why Marcus?" Yaxocara asked, puzzled.

Tempo Chronos shrugged. "Desperation, probably. That's why guardians like me—and others—have to stay vigilant. We're tasked with fixing these kinds of temporal anomalies. Bandon's dealing with the larger ones right now."

Before either Yaxoc or Yaxocara could ask more questions, Tempo Chronos snapped his fingers.

"Stay out of trouble," he said with a smirk before teleporting away in a swirl of temporal energy.

Yaxoc sighed, glancing at Yaxocara. "Who's Bandon?"

She shook her head. "No idea, but it sounds like we're not done yet."

Yaxoc nodded, his eyes scanning the horizon. "Yeah. Let's keep moving."