Chapter 9: The Edge of Time

Caius tightened his grip on the wooden sword, his muscles aching from the relentless drills. Training under Garran was grueling—every time he thought he was improving, the old knight exposed another flaw, another weakness. And now, Elias and Selene were pushing him on something even more dangerous.

His power.

The underground chamber was silent, save for the distant crackle of torches. The rebels around him watched with wary curiosity. Some held intrigue in their eyes, others… doubt.

Elias crossed his arms. "You admitted it yourself—you have no control over your abilities. That makes you dangerous."

Caius exhaled sharply. "I didn't ask for this power."

Selene scoffed. "And yet, here you are. So, are you going to learn to use it, or are you going to keep playing the lost prince?"

Caius's jaw clenched. He wanted to argue, to push back against the weight they were placing on his shoulders. But the truth was undeniable.

The Hollow Legion was hunting him. And if he couldn't master his power, he wouldn't survive the next encounter.

Garran stepped forward, placing a hand on his sword hilt. "We need to see what you can do. You've already altered time in battle—now, we do it with purpose."

Caius hesitated. "And if I lose control?"

Elias's eyes darkened. "Then we'll stop you."

It wasn't a threat. It was a promise.

The chamber grew colder. The pressure in the air was suffocating. Caius swallowed hard, then nodded. "Fine. What do you want me to do?"

Selene took a step forward, pulling a small knife from her belt. "Defend yourself."

Before Caius could react, she lunged.

His body moved on instinct, raising the wooden sword to block. The moment the blade clashed against the dagger, time seemed to shudder around him.

His vision blurred—and suddenly, he was watching himself from a moment before. The impact, the clash of blades—it all replayed in his mind before it even happened.

A warning.

He barely processed it before his body reacted on its own.

Instead of blocking, he twisted away just before Selene's knife could connect. The motion felt unnatural, like he had pulled himself back from a mistake before making it.

Selene stumbled forward, her attack missing by an inch. She recovered quickly, but her eyes widened slightly. She noticed.

Elias muttered under his breath. "Interesting."

Garran gave a nod of approval. "You felt it, didn't you?"

Caius steadied his breathing, gripping his sword tighter. "It was like…" He struggled to find the words. "Like time hesitated for a moment. Like I saw the attack before it happened."

Selene flicked her dagger back into its sheath, watching him closely. "Precognition?"

"More like a rewind," Garran corrected. "He doesn't just see the mistake—his body reacts before it happens."

Elias studied him with an unreadable expression. "A dangerous power."

Selene arched an eyebrow. "And what happens when he rewinds something bigger?"

Caius felt a chill at the question. He had reversed time in small bursts, correcting a single moment, a single mistake. But what would happen if he went too far?

Would he erase an entire fight? An entire day?

Would he lose himself in time itself?

Elias seemed to sense his hesitation. "We need to push further."

Caius looked at him sharply. "Further?"

The rebel leader nodded toward Garran. "A real fight."

Caius's stomach tightened. He had barely survived sparring with Garran using wooden weapons. And now they wanted him to push his powers?

Garran drew his sword, its steel glinting in the low light. "No holding back."

Caius swallowed. He had no choice.

The moment Garran moved, time shifted again.

Caius saw three versions of the same attack—one where he blocked, one where he dodged, and one where he got cut down. His mind split between them, overwhelmed by the weight of the moment.

He acted too slowly.

The blade came down—

Caius barely dodged, but the steel nicked his shoulder. He hissed in pain.

Garran didn't stop. He pressed forward, his attacks fast and relentless. Caius fought back, reacting just before each strike landed, but the visions—the possibilities—became too much.

His mind wavered.

He saw too many futures at once.

And then—

Everything snapped.

The world jerked backward, as if yanked by an invisible force.

Garran's sword rose backward, the wound on Caius's shoulder vanishing as if it had never happened. He gasped, stumbling back as his breath came in sharp, ragged bursts.

Time had rewound. But unlike before, it wasn't just a second.

It was several seconds.

Garran froze, his sword still raised—but this time, before the attack had even happened. His eyes widened slightly as he realized what had occurred.

Elias and Selene exchanged glances.

Caius staggered, the weight of the rewind pressing on his mind like an unbearable weight. His vision blurred, his pulse pounding.

He barely had time to breathe before a sharp, cold pain stabbed into his skull.

He collapsed to his knees, clutching his head as his mind fractured under the pressure.

The rebels moved forward, but he barely heard them.

Because for the first time—he heard something else.

A whisper.

A voice, echoing from the depths of time itself.

"You cannot hold the river back forever, Timeborn."

Caius gasped, his vision splitting. The world warped—images flashed through his mind:

—The ruined throne of Evernight, covered in ash.

—A city consumed by fire and shadow.

—A dark figure standing over a battlefield, an army of Hollow Knights at their back.

And then—

His own reflection, standing in a broken timeline, his eyes burning with power he did not understand.

The future.

Or perhaps—a warning.

The pain in his skull snapped away.

Caius fell forward, barely catching himself. His breath was unsteady, his body trembling from exhaustion. He felt as if he had been pulled through time itself and left in pieces.

When he finally looked up, Garran had lowered his sword. Elias's expression was unreadable. Selene… for once, had no snide remark.

No one spoke for a long moment.

Finally, Elias broke the silence. "You rewound time again."

Caius swallowed hard. "It was… longer, this time." His voice was hoarse, as if the rewind had drained something more than just his strength.

Selene narrowed her eyes. "And what the hell just happened at the end there?"

Caius hesitated. The whispers, the visions—he wasn't sure how to explain them. Or if he even wanted to.

But one thing was clear.

He had barely touched the true depths of his power. And even that small glimpse had nearly broken him.

Elias studied him carefully. "Your power is dangerous. And if you lose control in the middle of a real fight, you might not just rewind seconds." His eyes darkened. "You might unravel time itself."

Caius's breath hitched.

Garran exhaled through his nose, then sheathed his sword. "Then we train harder."

Caius looked up. "You still think I can control this?"

Garran's expression was unreadable. "I think we don't have a choice."

Selene scoffed. "Let's just hope he doesn't tear apart the world before we even get a chance to fight for it."

Caius said nothing.

Because for the first time—he wasn't sure if she was wrong.