Threads of fate
Chapter 5: Threads of Fate
The tension between the trio simmered as they left the ruins, the second fragment of the Heart of Time pulsating with energy. Lian carried it carefully, feeling its weight—not just physical, but metaphysical. The fragments were a part of him, pulling at the shattered pieces of his past, forcing him to confront truths he wasn't ready for.
Verrin led the way through the tangled forests of temporal anomalies surrounding the ancient city, his expression grim. Kael followed reluctantly, his hand never straying far from the hilt of his blade. Lian walked between them, the fragments tucked securely into a hidden pouch at his waist.
As they traversed the forest, the anomalies grew more erratic. Time flickered around them—trees shifting from saplings to ancient, gnarled giants in an instant, shadows moving against the light of a sun that shouldn't exist.
"This place is unstable," Kael muttered, his voice tight. "How much farther, Verrin?"
"Not much," Verrin replied, his tone clipped. "The final fragment lies beyond the Veil—a place where even the Keepers fear to tread."
Kael narrowed his eyes. "Convenient."
"Convenient or not, it's where we're going," Lian interjected, his voice sharp. He was tired of their bickering, tired of the constant push and pull of mistrust. He had questions, and the fragments were the only way to get answers.
---
The Veil
They reached the edge of the Veil by dusk. It loomed before them like a curtain of liquid light, shimmering and shifting with an otherworldly glow. Lian felt his stomach churn as he stared at it. The air around it hummed with power, and the fragments in his pouch pulsed in response.
"What is this?" Kael asked, his voice filled with awe and unease.
"The Veil is the boundary between what was and what could have been," Verrin explained. "A place where time splits, where the threads of reality unravel."
Kael scoffed. "And you think the fragment is in there?"
"I don't think," Verrin said. "I know."
Without waiting for a response, Verrin stepped forward and disappeared into the Veil. Lian hesitated only a moment before following. Kael cursed under his breath and brought up the rear.
---
The Fragment of Truth
Inside the Veil, reality was chaos. Time and space twisted around them—scenes from the past, present, and possible futures overlapping in a kaleidoscope of light and sound. Lian saw flashes of his life: his younger self training with the Chrono Guard, the battlefield where he shattered the Heart, and even glimpses of a future he didn't recognize—a future where he stood alone, wielding the full power of the Heart.
The pull of the fragment guided them through the swirling chaos. At the center of the Veil, they found it: a shard larger and brighter than the others, floating above a dais of fractured stone. As Lian approached, the other fragments reacted violently, their energy surging through him like a bolt of lightning.
Verrin grabbed his arm. "Be careful. The third fragment will complete the resonance. If you take it, you'll unlock the Heart's power—and its memories."
Kael stepped forward, his blade drawn. "And then what? What happens when he remembers?"
Lian ignored them both. He reached out, his fingers brushing the fragment's surface. The moment he touched it, the Veil exploded with light, and his vision was consumed.
---
The Shattered Heart
The visions were overwhelming. Lian saw everything—his role as a leader in the rebellion, the battles they fought against the Keepers, and the moment the Heart was shattered. But he also saw the cost: the lives lost, the worlds destroyed, and the timelines fractured beyond repair.
He saw Verrin, once his closest ally, standing at his side as they made the fateful decision to break the Heart. And he saw the Keepers, their faces filled with rage and fear as they realized what he had done.
But there was more—something deeper. A shadow in the background of every memory, watching, waiting. It wasn't just the Keepers who sought control of time. Something darker had been unleashed when the Heart was shattered, something that threatened to consume all of existence.
When the visions ended, Lian collapsed to his knees, gasping for air. The fragments in his pouch glowed brighter, their energy merging into a single, unified pulse.
"I remember," he whispered.
---
A Fateful Choice
Verrin and Kael helped him to his feet, their expressions tense. "What did you see?" Verrin asked.
"Everything," Lian replied, his voice hollow. "The rebellion, the Heart, the Keepers… It was all to stop something worse."
Kael frowned. "Worse? What could be worse than the Keepers?"
Lian met his gaze, his eyes filled with a newfound determination. "The Void. When we shattered the Heart, we created a rift—a gateway to the Void. It's been growing ever since, feeding on the fragments, on the timelines. If we don't stop it…"
He didn't need to finish. The weight of his words hung heavy in the air.
Verrin's expression darkened. "Then we need to act quickly. The Keepers won't let us regroup, and the Void won't wait."
Kael hesitated, his loyalty to the Guard warring with the truth Lian had revealed. Finally, he nodded. "What's the plan?"
Lian looked at the fragments, their combined energy humming with potential. "We need to reforge the Heart. It's the only way to seal the Void."
"But to do that," Verrin said, his voice grave, "you'll need to wield its full power. Are you ready for that, Lian?"
Lian didn't answer right away. The memories of the past weighed heavily on him, but so did the knowledge of what was at stake. He looked at Verrin, then at Kael, and finally at the fragments in his hand.
"I don't have a choice," he said. "The timeline is broken, and it's my fault. It's time to fix it."
---
As they stepped out of the Veil, the fragments glowed brighter, their energy resonating with the world around them. The final battle was approaching, and Lian Korr was ready to face his destiny.
Or so he hoped.